The United States Food and Drug Administration allowed 18 animal drugs to stay on the market even after an internal agency review found the drugs posed a "high risk" of exposing humans to antibiotic-resistant bacteria through food supply.
The potentially harmful antibiotics allowed to remain on the market as additives in farm animal feed and water were 30, including 18 rated as "high risk". FDA’s scientific reviews of these antibiotics occurred between 2001 and 2010, yet some of the drugs remain approved and, in many cases, on the market for use in industrial animal agriculture operations.

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) studied a review conducted by the FDA from 2001 to 2010 that focused on 30 penicillin and tetracycline-based antibiotic feed additives. The drugs had been approved by regulators to be used specifically for growth promotion of livestock and poultry - essentially to produce more meat to sell.
Agribusinesses say animal drugs help increase production and keep prices low for U.S. consumers, while consumer advocates and some scientists raise concerns over antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Some academics specializing in antibiotic resistance criticized the NRDC's study, saying that the findings do not reflect current regulatory standards because some of the drugs have been withdrawn from the market.

The NRDC, which reviewed more than 3,000 pages of documents through a federal Freedom of Information Act request, said it found evidence to suggest nine of the drugs are still on the market and used by livestock producers. Reuters was not able to independently verify that detail immediately.

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U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

Reuters

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