A number of professional organizations and governmental entities have taken stances on the use of antibiotics in agriculture.

Over 300 groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association, have endorsed the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2003, a bill that would phase out the routine feeding of medically important antibiotics to healthy farm animals. This year's bill is summarized here , and additional policy statements are below. If your organization would like to endorse, or would like more information, contact Terri Stiffler.

Ambulatory Pediatric Association
Policy on Clinical and Environmental Factors Contributing to Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, May-June 2002
Concludes that the inappropriate use of antibiotics in clinical medicine and in raising livestock contributes to the development and spread of antibiotic-resistant organisms; proposes to raise awareness among pediatricians, families, public health programs and policy-makers regarding the problem of environmental factors contributing to antibiotic resistance and to develop strategies to reduce or eliminate the further growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

American College of Preventive Medicine
Statement on Use of Antimicrobials in Food Animals , March 2000
Recommends the discontinuation of antimicrobials used to promote the growth of food animals if they are also used in human medicine

American Medical Association
Resolution 508 - Antimicrobial Use and Resistance, Annual Meeting 2001
Opposes the use of antimicrobials at non-therapeutic levels in agriculture; urges that non-therapeutic use in animals of antimicrobials also used in humans be terminated or phased out based on scientifically sound risk assessments

American Public Health Association
Interim Policy, LB-00-5
Addressing the Use of Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics in Agriculture, November 15, 2000
Supports the FDA’s proposed ban on use of fluoroquinolones in poultry

Policy Number 9908
Addressing the Problem of Bacterial Resistance to Antimicrobial Agents and the Need for Surveillance, January 1, 1999
Urges the FDA to work for regulations eliminating the non-medical use of antibiotics and limiting the use of antibiotics in animal feeds

California Medical Association
Countering Bacterial Resistance from Antimicrobial Overuse, March 2001
Opposes the use of antimicrobials used in human medicine at sub-therapeutic levels in agriculture; urges that agricultural use of antibiotics be limited to veterinary prescription

Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
Position Statement 1999-ID 7
Discontinuation of antimicrobials used to promote growth of food animals if they are used in or select for cross resistance to antimicrobials used in human therapy
Recommends the discontinuation of antimicrobials used to promote the growth of food animals if they are also used in human medicine

Infectious Diseases Society of America
Principles and Strategies Intended to Limit the Impact of Antimicrobial Resistance, August 2001. Supports "good antimicrobial stewardship and improved hygience in food animals that promotes animals health" and "better production methods and growth promotion alternatives to replace the subtherapeutic use of antimicrobial agents in food animals"

Minnesota Medical Association
Recommends that the MMA oppose the use of antimicrobials used in human medicine at less than therapeutic levels in agriculture, or as pesticides or growth promoters

National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc.
Position Statement 1999-ID 7
Discontinuation of antimicrobials used to promote growth of food animals if they are used in or select for cross resistance to antimicrobials used in human therapy
Recommends the discontinuation of antimicrobials used to promote the growth of food animals if they are also used in human medicine

World Health Organization
Global Principles for the Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals Intended for Food, June 2000
Recommendations include termination or rapid phasing-out of the use of antimicrobials for growth promotion if they are also used for treatment of humans in the absence of a public health safety evaluation and obligatory prescriptions for all antimicrobials used for disease control in food animals

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Rev. 5/10/04