Should the United States Adopt a Policy Against the Use of Antibiotics for Growth Promotion in Food-Producing Animals? Open Access

Cuevas-Espelid, Wendy Bernadette (2011)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/bn9996955?locale=en
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Abstract


ABSTRACT

Should the United States Adopt a Policy Against the Use of Antibiotics for Growth Promotion in
Food-Producing Animals?
By Wendy Bernadette Cuevas-Espelid

There is a large debate within the United States over the use of antibiotics in food producing animals as growth promoters. This method of agricultural practice was started during the industrialization of food animals in order to prevent many of the illnesses that were contracted during rearing, transportation and other highly stressful activities. However, animal husbandry played a major part and still plays an important role in the susceptibility of animals to infectious agents. Dirty housing and water, poor ventilation and overcrowding are obvious conditions that can be catastrophic, for any living species, in terms of infectious agents that can proliferate. The low dose therapy of antibiotics was implemented to prevent infections among livestock but this came with a cost to the public health in terms of antibiotic resistance and the subsequent transfer to humans. This project will explore the federal laws implemented in the United States and the evidence based studies that strengthen the argument of the link between the use of antibiotics and resistance with subsequent transfer to humans. Analysis of the federal laws and policies relating to antibiotic use in animals are the main components of this investigation along with recommendations for the agricultural industry. The analysis of the federal laws will examine the most recent congressional hearings and testimonies from key witnesses (veterinarians and medical doctors) residing in the United States and globally. The results of this study will allow for a strong argument to abolish the use of antibiotics for growth promotion in food producing animals. Opponents do not believe there is strong enough evidence to support a link between usage and the development of resistance with transfer to humans. A review of the literature supports that the use of antibiotics as growth promoters is a public health concern not just within the United States but on a global level. Recommendations and examples of farms and countries that do not employ this practice will be described.







Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 ....................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction and rationale ........................................................................................................... 1
Problem statement ....................................................................................................................... 2
Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................................... 3
Purpose statement ........................................................................................................................ 5
Research question ........................................................................................................................ 6
Significance statement ................................................................................................................. 7
Chapter 2 ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Introductory paragraph ................................................................................................................ 9
Review of Literature .................................................................................................................. 10
Summary of current problem and study relevance .................................................................... 19
Chapter 3-Methodology ........................................................................................................... 34
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 34
Research Design ........................................................................................................................ 35
Procedures ................................................................................................................................. 35
Instruments ................................................................................................................................ 35
Plans for Data Analysis ............................................................................................................. 37
Limitations and Delimitations ................................................................................................... 38
Theoretical framework .............................................................................................................. 39
Chapter 4-Results ..................................................................................................................... 42
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 42
Findings on Legislative Action ................................................................................................. 42
SWANN report from the United Kingdom ........................................................................... 43
Regulation No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council .......................... 44
Animal Drug Availability Act (ADAA) 1996 ....................................................................... 45
Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment, (PAMTA) ............................................ 46
Animal Drug User Fee Amendment of 2008......................................................................... 48
Strategies to Address Antimicrobial Resistance, (STAAR) .................................................. 49
Summary ................................................................................................................................... 51
Chapter 5-Discussion ............................................................................................................... 52

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