Ending the Abuse of Antibiotics in Livestock Production

Sir Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin in 1928 ushered in the antibiotics age, a giant scientific leap forward that armed doctors with potent weapons against many of the world’s deadliest diseases.  Able to combat potentially lethal illnesses such as pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, rheumatic fever and even life-threatening infections developed from simple scrapes or surgery, antibiotics have saved millions of lives and are one of our most important public health tools. Despite their significance, however, overuse and misuse threatens the efficacy of these precious drugs. Often antibiotics are given to healthy animals as a production tool, and not to treat illness. The following white paper outlines the case for immediate action to stop the abuse of antibiotics on factory farms and protect the long terms effectiveness of these life-saving medicines.