Court orders FDA action on antibiotic use on farms

WASHINGTON – A federal court judge has ordered the Food and Drug Administration to take action on its own 35-year-old rule that would stop farmers from mixing widely-used antibiotics into animal feed, a practice which has led to a surge in dangerous, drug-resistant bacteria.

In 1977, the FDA concluded that the overuse of antibiotics in livestock, poultry and other animals weakened the treatment's effectiveness in humans. The agency issued an order that would have banned non-medical use of penicillin and tetracycline in farm animals, unless drugmakers could show the drugs were safe. But the rule idled for more than three decades, after vigorous pushback from members of Congress and lobbyists for the agriculture and drug industries. Farming groups have long argued the drugs are needed to keep animals healthy, though many natural food producers dispute such claims.

In a ruling handed down Thursday, Judge Theodore Katz said the FDA must begin steps to withdraw approval of the two antibiotics for routine use in animals, siding with four consumer safety groups that brought a lawsuit against the agency.

"Today we take a long overdue step toward ensuring that we preserve these lifesaving medicines for those who need them most — people," said Avinash Kar, attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council..................