The results are in. A new Consumer Reports investigation found that meat from conventionally raised turkeys had bacteria resistant to more drugs than birds raised without antibiotics.
This routine feeding of antibiotics to healthy food animals has to stop. If it doesn’t, there could come a day where there is no defense against deadly superbugs.
A bill in Congress will help save our antibiotics for when we need them. Within two years of passage, antibiotics in animal feed that are important to human medicine would have to be reviewed, and if found to be unsafe in terms of resistance, would be stopped. Sick animals would still get the needed drugs.
This is a common-sense approach to a life-or-death problem. Tell your members of Congress to act now.
Dear [Decision Maker],
A new Consumer Reports investigation found that meat from conventionally raised turkeys -- which can be routinely fed antibiotics -- had bacteria resistant to more drugs than birds raised without antibiotics. With 80 percent of antibiotics sold used on food animals, we may soon see the day when these life-saving drugs no longer work on people.
Please act now to save our antibiotics, and pass the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA). My family's health is at stake.
Antibiotic-resistance is a real, growing problem. Infections that were easily treated with antibiotics 50 years ago can now result in serious illness and death. The routine feeding of antibiotics to food animals creates drug-resistant superbugs, which can spread to humans through meat and the environment.
Scientists agree that industrial food producers must stop routinely using the drugs to help save our antibiotics. As the National Academy of Sciences stated: "A decrease in antimicrobial use in human medicine alone will have little effect on the current situation. Substantial efforts must be made to decrease inappropriate overuse in animals and agriculture as well."
I urge you to support PAMTA, a common-sense solution to prevent this national health crisis. It would ensure eight classes of antibiotics in animal feed that are important to human medicine be reviewed by the FDA, and if found to be unsafe for resistance, be stopped. Sick animals would still get needed drugs. This approach would be phased in so meat and poultry producers could adapt their methods.
[Your comments here]
Take a moment to read Consumer Reports findings at www.ConsumerReports.org/turkey0613. And please do all you can to pass this bill that will help save our antibiotics for when your family, and mine, really need them.
