EU finally bans use of animal feed linked to 'superbugs'

7.34.03pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 1st Apr 2005

London Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford has elicited a confirmation from the EU Commissioner for health and consumer protection that the EU ban on all routine use of antibiotics in animal feed - which contributes to MRSA resistance - is finally coming into force next January. She said:

"This is welcome news indeed, but it is regrettable that it's taken the best part of a decade to get this practice outlawed. The scientific community has long been concerned that abuse of antibiotics in agriculture may be reducing the effectiveness of these drugs in human medicine."

Although the use in feed of five antibiotic growth-promoters was prohibited 8 years ago, some farm animals are still dosed with antibiotics on a daily basis for no health reasons but in order to make them grow faster.

"Even though a link has been proved between this habit and 'superbugs' such as MRSA, it has taken all this extra time to arrive at an imminent total ban. The argument that almost a decade was needed for alternative products to be developed seems indulgent given that almost 1,000 people died of MRSA in Britain last year."

Ends

Notes

1. In response to her written question to the European Commission on the issue, Sarah Ludford has been told that a September 2003 Regulation (Reg (EC) No 1831/2003) on additives used in animal nutrition will bring in a total ban on antibiotics in feed from January 2006.

2. The Regulation entails an end to current use of Lavophospholipol, Salinomycin sodium, Avilamycin and Monensin in the European livestock industry. The growth-promoting use of other antibiotics Avoparcin, Bacitracin zinc, Spiramycin, Virginiamycin and Tylosin phosphate has already been banned.