Wed Sep 25 09:01:29 UTC 2024: ## U.S. Undermines Global Efforts to Combat Antibiotic Resistance
**New York, NY** – A new report reveals that the United States is actively weakening global efforts to combat antibiotic resistance, specifically by undermining a UN proposal to reduce antibiotic use in animal agriculture.
The UN was set to adopt a Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance with ambitious goals, including a 30% reduction in antibiotic use in food production by 2030. However, the latest draft has replaced this concrete target with a vague commitment to “strive to meaningfully reduce” antibiotic use, prompting concerns from experts and advocates.
“The U.S. always seems to be aiming for something weaker,” said Steve Roach, Director of the Safe & Healthy Food Program at Food Animal Concerns Trust. “They’ve worked to keep targets for antibiotic reduction out of international food safety standards and haven’t signed onto global agreements that include targeted reductions.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been identified as one of the key players behind this weakening of the declaration, with evidence suggesting they pushed to delete the 2030 goal.
This news comes as a new study predicts that deaths directly caused by antibiotic resistance will increase nearly 70% between 2022 and 2050, reaching an estimated 2 million per year globally. Experts emphasize that reducing antibiotic use in livestock is crucial to slow the development of resistant bacteria that threaten human health.
While the FDA banned the use of medically important antibiotics in animals solely for growth promotion in 2016, pork and cattle producers continue to routinely add antibiotics to feed and water. This practice, along with a lack of comprehensive data collection on antibiotic use on farms, continues to be a source of concern.
Senator Cory Booker, who has voiced his concerns about the FDA’s lack of action on this issue, stated, “Not only has the FDA been unwilling to use its legal authority to reduce the massive overuse of antibiotics on factory farms in the U.S., but the agency is now actively working to block international commitments to address antimicrobial resistance.”
The U.S.’s reluctance to implement stronger regulations on antibiotic use raises serious questions about its commitment to protecting public health. While advocacy groups will continue to push for stronger action, the U.S.’s continued undermining of global efforts to combat antibiotic resistance represents a significant setback in the fight against this critical public health threat.
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