WHO Moves to Contain Superbugs on the Farm
The global health agency wants a massive change in livestock practices. But will it work?
By Dina Fine Maron on November 7, 2017
The food industry must stop dosing healthy livestock with antibiotics, the World Health Organization said Tuesday. For decades animals’ food and drinking water have often been spiked with medications aimed at boosting growth and preventing disease. But that practice can provide the necessary spark for antibiotic resistance that endangers human health, the agency warned.
In a series of new recommendations aimed at preserving the efficacy of important drugs for people, the global health body called for national governments and food companies to follow rules that have existed in the European Union since 2006—such as not using drugs to promote livestock growth. The guidelines also urge farmers to wait until animals are medically diagnosed with a problem before administering antibiotics and, whenever possible, to select medications that are not important for human health.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/who-moves-to-contain-superbugs-on-the-farm/
