Currently Congress is considering the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA), a bill to restrict the use of antibiotics in the feed and water of animals that are not sick. This “nontherapeutic” use of antibiotics accounts for an estimated 70 percent of the use of these drugs, and leads to the development of drug resistant bacteria that is easily transmitted to humans through direct contact with animals, as in the Johns Hopkins research; through consumption of tainted meat; or even through cross-contamination of other foods from raw and undercooked meat.

Within two years of enactment, PAMTA would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to re-review the approvals it previously issued for animal feed uses of the seven classes of antibiotics that are important to human medicine. Any found to be unsafe from a resistance point of view will have their approvals rescinded.

Pennsylvania’s members of Congress are in key positions to ensure passage of this legislation. Send a letter to your representative and Senators Casey and Specter today by visiting:

https://secure3.convio.net/ucs/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1924

Passage of PAMTA is critical to keep antibiotics working for human health. In addition to averting the harmful effects of antibiotic overuse on human health, curtailing animal use of antibiotics will encourage producers to raise animals in better living conditions that are less conducive to disease. Many Pennsylvania farmers already know that it is possible and profitable to raise animals without nontherapeutic use of antibiotics.

http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/solutions/wise_antibiotics/pamta.html

Tanvi Gadhia

Food & Environment

Union of Concerned Scientists