European Parliament: Smarter use of antibiotics demanded

Tighter controls on the use of antimicrobials - such as antibiotics - are needed to fight growing bacteria resistance, says a resolution adopted by the European Parliament last week. Virtually untreatable superbugs claim the lives of around 25,000 people in the EU each year, a figure that MEPs fear could grow. The Parliament’s resolution makes non-binding recommendations for the EU and Member States.

The EU already bans the use of antibiotics to boost animal growth, but it should also phase out their preemptive use, accordingt to MEPs. Active ingredients used in veterinary and human medicines should be kept as separate as possible to reduce risks of resistance transferring between animals and humans. The EU should also restrict agricultural use of so-called last resort antibiotics to ensure these are prioritised for fighting the most resistant infections in human healthcare. Health Commissioner John Dalli said the European Commission would be proposing a five-year action plan in November to address the issues.

In the USA, public health advocates are renewing their push for stronger restrictions on antibiotics in food production after a Pew Health Group analysis of federal data found that their use was up 6.7 % in 2010, according to The Hill. The latest Food and Drug Administration survey found that the overall amount of antibiotics used in food production was 13.9 million kilograms in 2010, up from 13.1 million kilograms in 2009. "This report confirms what we already know: Industrial farms are using antibiotics on a massive scale that far exceeds what doctors are using to treat sick people," said Laura Rogers, project director for the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming. "As a result, infections are becoming more difficult and expensive to treat. The time for the administration to protect our health is long overdue."