Tyson Foods has announced that it will eliminate the use of human antibiotics by 2017. antibiotic resistant infections are a global health concern and it is known that use of human antibiotics in food products has enhanced in antibiotic resistant bacteria which kill human beings as there is no drug to protect the body. So why then is Tyson waiting two years to make this move and why are other food manufacturers allowed to use human antibiotics at all?
McDonald’s said in March that it planned to eliminate use of any food products treated with human medicine, over the next two years. Why not now. McDonald’s is one of Tyson’s largest customers.
In 2013 the Centers for Disease Control and prevention estimated that at least two million Americans fall sick each year because of antibiotic resistant infections and at least 23,000 die as a result. That number is increasing on a monthly basis. Why is the Government allowing the market system to phase in change slowly when we are running out of antibiotics now? It makes no sense.
Perdue, another chicken producer said it had eliminated human antibiotics from its hatcheries. However it still uses antibiotics that are not used in human medicine. This has been discussed and shown to increase general resistance of bacteria to antibiotics.
Until the public speaks up, nothing will be done.
Jeffrey Newman represents whistleblowers.
