NRDC Report Claims FDA Allowed Harmful Antibiotics in Feed Additives

A recently released Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) report
suggests that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed 30
potentially harmful antibiotic additives to remain approved for use in food
animals (cows, pigs and chickens), even though the agency’s own scientists
found that “none of these products would likely be approvable as new additives
for nontherapeutic livestock use if submitted today, under current FDA
guidelines.”

Titled “Playing With Chicken,” and based on a review of previously undisclosed
FDA documents, the report notes that (i) 18 of the 30 antibiotic feed additives
reviewed were assessed as posing a “high risk” to human health; (ii) drug
manufacturers did not submit sufficient information on 12 of the additives to
establish safety; (iii) despite the fact that 29 of the additives are not proven
to be safe, no action has been taken to withdraw approval; and (iv) 26 of the
additives have never met the safety criteria established by FDA in 1973. See
NRDC News Release, January 27, 2014.

Issue 511