FDA: Drug companies agree to restrict use of antibiotics in farm animals

Almost all drug companies have agreed to go along with a voluntary plan to stop the use of antibiotics to fatten farm animals, according to Food and Drug Administration. The agency said Wednesday that 25 of 26 of the companies it appealed to in December, asking them to change labels and disallow the use of antibiotics for animal growth, had agreed to the plan. The FDA did not say which company declined to go along with the request, aimed to reduce the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The growth of so-called superbugs, caused in large part by the overuse of antibiotics on farms, poses a major threat to the treatment of human infections. The FDA plan, which was criticized by food safety groups in December because it was voluntary, drew some praise on Wednesday. "The FDA and drug makers appear to have passed the first big test of the agency's voluntary approach," said Laura Rogers, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ human health and industrial farming campaign. "This is very encouraging -- as is the agency's transparency in reporting this information today -- but there's a lot more to do."...more