The Trouble With Antibiotics
On Oct. 14, FRONTLINE’s " The Trouble With Antibiotics " examines the widespread use of antibiotics in food animals and whether it’s fueling the growing crisis of antibiotic resistance in humans. Sharp Increase Seen in Sales of Antibiotics for Use in Farm Animals Think organic this Thanksgiving. Or go meatless New data from the Food and Drug Administration shows that the sale of antibiotics for farm animals is on the rise, amid concerns that their use is contributing to increasing drug-resistant infections in humans. The FDA reported that sales of antibiotics for agriculture climbed 16 percent in the United States between 2009 and 2012. More than 32 million pounds of antibiotics intended for use on American farms were sold in 2012 alone — a nearly 8 percent rise over the previous year. The new data comes at a time when the FDA is trying to reduce antibiotic use in food animals. In December 2013, the agency began a voluntary three-year phase out of the practice of us