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| New Report Helps Balance the the Antibiotic Resistance Debate, says Leading Vet. June, 2003. Australians interested in the role of antibiotics in food production will be reassured by the findings of an exhaustive new study, according to a leading Australian animal health expert. ”This is hard science that brings balance to an important debate,” Professor Ian Lean, from the University of Sydney's Vet School, says. ”The Role of Enteric Antibiotics in Livestock Production” addresses the sometimes controversial use of in-feed antibiotics in animal production, and arrives at some very positive conclusions. Dr Stephen Page took more than a year to research over 2000 published scientific studies for the 337 page document, which was commissioned and published by Avcare, the National Association for Crop Production and Animal Health. ”This report addresses deficiencies in previous studies, notably the 1999 JETACAR report,” Professor Lean says. “That report fuelled public concern about the dangers to human health from antibiotic use in animals. Consumers should gain confidence in the food they eat, and how it is produced from this document. ”There was a failure to balance the potential for harm arising from the use of antibiotic growth promotants with the potential for benefits arising from them,” Professor Lean says. “This new review is extraordinarily comprehensive. Dr Page has reviewed many of the substantial journals that are published on animal production and health. ”It highlights the remarkable breadth of benefits to humans, animals and the environment arising from antibiotic growth promotants. ”Many of the products have significant benefits for the environment including reduced methane emission and reduced nitrogen and phosphorus outputs. ”Many of the most substantial diseases of animals are controlled by the use of these products. Other benefits include a reduction in the need for energy, protein, and mineral inputs for animals. ”Some products even reduce antibiotic resistance and its transfer,” Professor Lean says. ”The report clearly indicates that antibiotics are part of responsible, sustainable and humane production.” ”The use of these products has been a small part of a revolution that had led to the unprecedented quality of food available to the consumer with a significant reduction in real cost,” Professor Lean says. The review confirms the depth of detail that has gone into assessing the prudent use of these drugs over decades. From the 1960s there's been considerable and careful assessment of any risks that the use of these products may bring in increasing the disease risk for humans. While there has been undue alarm raised about the transfer of antibiotic resistance from animals to humans, the link is far from proven. ”The lack of substantive papers showing negative effects of in-feed antibiotics in human health despite considerable study, indicates that these products provide considerable benefit and little tangible risk”, Professor Ian Lean says. These products have been extensively reviewed, first by scientists, and then by responsible government bodies like the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA). “We're lucky to have outstanding regulators in Australia,” Professor Lean says. ”This is an international review that has already attracted considerable attention around the world, that's all the more reason that we should look closely at it here. ”This is a major step forward in letting the public know how responsibly their food is produced. At last were starting to see better balance in the coverage, in this report and from other important sources,” Professor Lean said. A note to journalists about the use of Professor Ian Lean as a spokesperson. You can find out more about Ian Lean on his corporate pages. The full (337 page) report is available here. The recent release from McDonalds is here. |