Antibiotics have been used in animal feed for many years to promote animal growth as well as for medical purposes. Some countries have limited the use in recent years, especially in regard to the use of medically important antibiotics, to promote animal growth. The United States is one of these countries who recently (2017) limited medically important antibiotic use to promote animal growth; however, the US still allow antibiotic use for medical purposes. Based on what you have learned about antibiotics and antibiotic resistance as well as the spread of microorganisms and drug resistance genes, do you think the US is smart in implementing this recent policy or do you think we should again allow the use of these medically important antibiotics to promote animal growth or stop the use in animals of all medically important antibiotics entirely for even medical purposes? By the way, there are individuals who do want to buy antibiotic-free foods. And there may be some of you may want to think about the use of antibiotics that are, at the moment, not considered to be medically important as well as what is going on in other countries where there might not be any limitations currently.
Please explain your answer based on your knowledge gained in this course and elsewhere. I am providing you with 4 URL links to information that is relevant to give you some background, context, etc. regarding the US 2017 “ban” as well as a link to an FDA site and a WHO site that may be of help.
N.B. Your answer should be at least approximately 100 words in your own words and please use full sentences.
1 https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2018-12-19/antibiotic-use-falls-on-us-farms-after-ban-on-using-drugs-to-make-livestock-grow-faster
2 https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2018/12/fda-reports-major-drop-antibiotics-food-animals
3 https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/safety-health/antimicrobial-resistance
4 https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/07-11-2017-stop-using-antibiotics-in-healthy-animals-to-prevent-the-spread-of-antibiotic-resistance
