From: Theresa Quain [Tquain@csd99.k12.il.us]
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2001 7:38 AM
To: EXECSEC
Subject: Overuse of antibiotics in farm animals

Jane E. Henney, M.D.
Commissioner
U. S. Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville MD 20857-0001

Dear Dr. Henney:

I am concerned about the increase in resistance to antibiotics.  Many people are unaware of this problem and expect their doctors to prescribe antibiotics for every illness.  It may be difficult for a doctor to resist prescribing in these cases.  However,  the use of antibiotics in healthy farm animals to promote growth is clearly a misuse.  This is done to increase the profits of the agricultural interest, not to benefit the health of the animals or the people who eat their meat, and contributes to the decreasing effectiveness of antibiotics in humans.  A recent estimate of the extent of this use of antibiotics by the Union of Concerned Scientists indicates the problem is much greater than industry sources admit:  the UCS estimate is almost 40% higher than the industry figure of 17.8 million pounds annually.  

It is important that the government take action to create a system to collect reliable information on this problem.  Irrefutable data is necessary before taking action to curb this dangerously wasteful practice.

Thank you.

Theresa Quain
718 S. Charles
Naperville, IL  60540