The threat of drug-resistant bacteria — also known as “superbugs” — is getting more serious by the day. Humans worldwide are at risk of falling prey to deadly microbes that are immune to antibiotics. So what’s fueling the rise in these terrifying infections? Reckless and rampant antibiotic use in animal agriculture. In a piece titled “The Superbug That Doctors Have Been Dreading Just Reached the U.S.,” The Washington Post …
The discovery of penicillin in the 1920’s was a medical breakthrough. Who of us hasn’t relied on antibiotics to cure an infection at some point in our lives? Yet, today in the US, 80% of antibiotics aren’t used to treat people – they’re fed to factory-farmed animals. Why? For decades, Big Ag has been pumping these drugs into animals as …
Last week was antibiotic awareness week – did you miss it? Somehow, this global week of awareness flew under the radar of many – especially in the United States. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) named their week-long campaign “Get Smart About Antibiotics Week” after an executive order from the White House, but telling the truth about antibiotic use in …
Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin was a breakthrough in modern medicine, and who of us hasn’t relied on the effectiveness of antibiotics to cure an infection at some point in our lives? The overuse of antibiotics, however, is leading to an increase of drug-resistant “superbugs” which cause harder-to-treat and more-likely-to-be-lethal infections. Doctors across the country have recognized this threat, and have stopped the practice of over prescribing. Despite this effort, one industry gets away with unchecked and unregulated use of antibiotics: animal agriculture.
Industrial animal farms add low-level antibiotics (often without veterinary oversight) to animal feed to foster faster growth and mitigate the spread of disease caused by keeping thousands of animals in cramped, filthy factory farms.