NRDC Health Director: Antibiotics Bill Will Help Protect Public Health

WASHINGTON (May 8, 2013) – A bipartisan group of senators introduced the Antimicrobial Data Collection Act today, which would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to provide more information on the sales of antibiotics used on industrial farm animals. The bill was introduced by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Susan Collins (R-ME).

Linda Greer, director of the Health and Environment Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, made these comments on the bill:

“This bill will help provide crucial information on how the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in livestock affects human health. Science has already shown that antibiotic use in livestock on factory farms is contributing to a growing crisis of antibiotic resistance in people.

“The Senate should pass this bipartisan bill quickly so we can gather the information needed to better target and track efforts to curtail misuse of antibiotics and protect people from unnecessary health risks, including infections, hospitalizations and use of medicines with stronger side effects.”