In a bid to mitigate antibiotic resistance, the Food and Drug Administration has released guidance for drugmakers to define how long medically important antibiotics should be used in food-producing animals. But critics argue the effort fails to consider the impact on human health.
The guidance, which was published last week by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, offers recommendations to drug companies for adding “duration limits” to medically important antibiotics that are given to livestock for approved uses but do not currently have any specific timelines.
About 28% of all medically important antibiotics given to food-producing animals can be used continuously for at least one approved indication, such as treating or preventing a specific disease. Now, though, the FDA wants antibiotic labeling revised to include appropriate criteria for beginning and ending use.Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…