A group of scientists says the use of antibiotics in farm animals in North America is contributing to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in people.

The Union of Concerned Scientists, a non-profit advocacy group, says the use of such drugs in chickens, pigs and cattle is having an effect on human health.

The groups says eating these animals builds resistance in people against antibiotics such as penicillin and other medicines crucial to treating some infections.

"Feeding antibiotics to animals from birth to slaughter may modestly improve meat industry profits, but it puts everyone's health at risk," said Dr. Charles Benbrook, co-author of the report.

The report recommends livestock producers reduce their use of antibiotics on animals. Farmers use the drugs to fight infection and promote weight gain.

At least one scientist at Health Canada agrees with the U.S. report. Shiv Chopra, who has spoken out against his own department's policies before, says Canada faces a similar situation.

The department has set up a national surveillance system to detect the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

  • Keeps animals disease-free
  • Promotes growth
  • Little evidence bacteria in animals capable of surviving in humans
  • Helps keep the price of meat low
  • Provides efficient animal management, and therefore less feed used
    • In the U.S., farmers use more than 11 million kilograms of antibiotics. There are no statistics for Canada.

    Chopra says surveillance alone isn't the answer.

    "These kinds of reports have been written from many different countries and organizations," says Chopra. "(They) say the same thing: restrict, curtail, abandon (antibiotics in agriculture). That's not being done except in Europe."

    Chopra's statements run counter to a 1999 study by the National Research Council which found "the use of drugs in the food-animal production industry is not without some problems and concerns, but does not appear to constitute an immediate public health-concern."

    "We know that there's an issue and we have to follow up on it," says Diane Kirkpatrick, head of the department's Bureau of Veterinary Drugs.