Posted by: johnny_a
in MyBlog on Mar 17, 2009
Text of the press release from the office of Congresswoman Louise Slaughter regarding introduction of legislation that would limit the use of antibiotics in livestock:
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY), Chairwoman of the House Rules Committee and a microbiologist with a Masters degree in Public Health, today introduced the "Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act" (PAMTA) in the House of Representatives. This critical legislation is designed to ensure that we preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics for the treatment of human diseases.
Posted by: johnny_a
in MyBlog on Mar 16, 2009
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D, NY) was set to reintroduce the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2009 (PAMTA) to congress today. The bill will seek the withdrawal of antibiotics important to human health from use on factory farms unless animals are sick. Medical experts agree that the misuse of antibiotics in industrial farming directly contributes to a dramatic rise in antibiotic-resistant infections in people.
According to estimates by the Union of Concerned Scientists, 50 million pounds of antibiotics - nearly 70 percent of all antibiotics sold in the U.S. - have been used in food animals for purposes other than treating disease since PAMTA was last introduced two years ago. Antibiotics are commonly fed to entire flocks or herds in their daily feed or water to compensate for overcrowded, often unsanitary conditions and to promote weight gain, giving rise to new strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. At the same time, few new antibiotics are entering the market to take the place of ineffective ones. The Food and Drug Administration last approved a new antibiotic for humans in 2003.
I haven't been able to locate a bill number yet, and will post an update once it is on the "govtrack" site.
