Amid fears of superbugs, the sale of medically important antibiotics given to food-producing livestock declined by less than 1% overall in the U.S. in 2021, a small change that prompted advocates to complain that not enough is being done to thwart antibiotic resistance.
In particular, the sale and distribution of tetracycline, which accounted for 65% of the medically important antibiotics, fell by only 1%, according to the latest annual report from the Food and Drug Administration. Meanwhile, the sale and distribution of macrolides, which represented 9% of overall domestic sales of such medicines, rose by 21%.
“My main takeaway is that we are not making progress on reducing antibiotic overuse,” said Steven Roach, who heads the safe and healthy food program at the Food Animal Concerns Trust, a nonprofit that seeks to limit antibiotic use in food-producing livestock. He noted there were increases in many types of antibiotics that the World Health Organization says not to use in food-producing livestock.
This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers
Unlock this article — plus in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and networking platform access.
Already have an account? Log in
Already have an account? Log in
About the Author Reprints
To submit a correction request, please visit our Contact Us page.
STAT encourages you to share your voice. We welcome your commentary, criticism, and expertise on our subscriber-only platform, STAT+ Connect