From: Gary Chirlin [gchirlin@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2001 9:55 AM
To: EXECSEC
Subject: Tally antibiotic use in US agriculture

January 10, 2001
16623 Bethayres Road
Derwood, MD 20855-2043
 
Dear Commisioner Henney:
    I urge the FDA to establish a system to tally antibiotic use in livestock in the US. As you know, the use of antibiotics in our food supply induces immunity in  microorganisms which threaten our health. The first step in managing this threat is a reliable count of the amount (chemical, dose and duration, use) of antibiotics used both for human and agricultural purposes. At this time only unreliable estimates by industry and other interest groups exist. Absent any control the problem will likely get worse; it is time to take the necessary preliminary scientific steps to address it.
 
    I look forward to your response.
 
            Yours truly,
            Gary R. Chirlin
 
gchirlin@alum.mit.edu