The Food and Drug Administration set new guidelines on Wednesday that call on global pharmaceutical companies to phase out the use of antimicrobials, also known as antibiotics, in food production, in order to uphold the effectiveness of certain drugs, when used by humans.
According to the Associated Press, antibiotics are added to food and water given to healthy animals like cattle, poultry and hogs to help increase their weight. Health officials said some of the antibiotics used on animals are also used to treat infections in humans, but the broad uses of antimicrobials, has led to an antibiotic resistance in many individuals.
Under the new guidelines, food production will no longer be able to use antibiotics to make animals grow faster. The changes, which were originally proposed in 2012, also state that if farmers need to inject a sick animal with drugs, they will need to get a prescription from a veterinarian.
"This action promotes the judicious use of important antimicrobials to protect public health while ensuring that sick and at-risk animals receive the therapy they need," said Bernadette Dunham, an official at the FDA.
The FDA asked global drug-makers and animal health companies including Eli Lilly & Co and Zoetis to change their labels. The changes, which are voluntary, are asking companies to rule out medically-important antibiotics that refer to the use of animal growth.
The companies will be given three months to comply and inform the FDA on whether they will change their labels. They also have three years to produce with the new guidelines.
"Based on our outreach, we have every reason to believe that animal pharmaceutical companies will support us in this effort," said Michael Taylor, the F.D.A.'s deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine.
Although the program is meant to be voluntary, one drug producer, Zoetis, said it approved of the changes.
"We believe that veterinarians should be involved in decisions regarding antibiotic use in food animals for the health of the animal and for the safety of the food supply," the company said in a statement.
According to the New York Times, some public health advocates applaud the move.
"Restricting the use of antibiotics for growth promotion and increasing veterinary oversight is a promising start," said Laura Rogers, director of the Pew Charitable Trusts' human health and industrial farming campaign. "We're particularly encouraged that major drug makers are indicating they will comply and that the F.D.A. acknowledges there is still more work to do."