Citing the dangers of drug-resistant microbes, newly appointed Food and Drug Administration chief Joshua Sharfstein testified against the over-use of antibiotics by animal feeding operations (12-page PDF). Sharfstein said drug-resistant bacteria make up 70 percent of the approximately 2 million infections caught annually in American hospitals, leading to a high cost, both financially and in terms of human life.
In particular, Sharfstein spoke against the use of antibiotics in small, constant doses for growth promotion. Instead, he said the FDA wants them to be administered only for treatment purposes and with a veterinarians supervision.
