Senators Introduce Bill to Increase Information on Antibiotic Use
Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have introduced bipartisan legislation to combat antimicrobial drug resistance by requiring the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to report more information on the annual sales of antibiotics used among industrial farm animals. The “Antimicrobial Data Collection Act” would also reportedly give the agency a deadline to finalize policies proposed in 2012 that would eliminate the use of antibiotics for growth-promoting uses.
“Antimicrobial resistance is a public health concern that needs to be adequately addressed,” Gillibrand said in a statement. “Increased data collection, transparency, and accountability are part of a comprehensive solution that will help protect American citizens from drug resistant microbes, saving lives and tax dollars.”
“Our bill would not create any new reporting requirements for drug companies, feed mills, or farmers. It would only require the FDA to provide more transparency in reporting the antimicrobial data which is already being reported to it,” said Senator Collins.
The legislation reportedly includes several provisions to require FDA to “report antibiotic sales publicly, comprehensively, and predictably,” as well as to set an annual deadline for the publication of these data. As noted by The Pew Charitable Trusts, which publicly lauded the measure in a May 8, 2013, press release, “the agency’s reports on these sales would be broken down by dosage form (in feed, in water, or by injection), marketing status (that is, whether they are available over the counter or by veterinary order), and indication of whether the drugs are important in human medicine.” See Reuters, May 8, 2013.
