From: EXECSEC
Sent: Friday, October 06, 2000 7:38 AM
To: Dockets, FDA
Subject: FW: Antibiotics in livestock feed



-----Original Message-----
From: s kabakian [mailto:cspi@cspinet.org] 
Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2000 5:44 PM
To: Dr. Henney
Subject: Antibiotics in livestock feed


October 5, 2000

s kabakian
9529 pali ave
tujunga, California
           91042- 3436
cspi@cspinet.org


Dear Dr. Henney:

I urge you to rescind approvals that allow adding to livestock feed antibiotics that are used in (or related to those used in) human medicine.  Adding antibiotics to livestock feed is done routinely to promote faster growth and to cover up poor husbandry methods and hygiene conditions on farms.  That use jeopardizes human health by causing the development of antibiotic resistance among bacteria that can make people sick. 

Scientists, health organizations, and governments around the world are urging that antibiotics not be squandered just for the sake of fattening livestock.  In 1997, the World Health Organization (WHO) called for a ban of such use.  The Centers for Disease Control, the American Public Health Association, and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials echo the WHO's concerns.  Countries such as Sweden and Denmark have enacted bans, and, in December 1998, the European Union banned adding any human-use antibiotic to animal feed. 

I urge you to ban the use of medically important antibiotics as feed additives immediately. Currently almost half of all antibiotics used in the U.S. are used in livestock, most of which -- more than 16 million pounds a year -- are used to promote livestock growth.  Your action would go a long way toward protecting these miracle drugs of modern medicine. 

I hope the FDA will act quickly -- before the use of antibiotics in livestock results in a major outbreak of antibiotic-resistant food poisoning.  I look forward to your response. 

Sincerely,

s kabakian