this post was submitted on 28 May 2024
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submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 

EDIT: here's a source for that figure

Previous studies have estimated that 73% of all antimicrobials sold globally are used in animals raised for food

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7766021/pdf/antibiotics-09-00918.pdf

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[–] techt 5 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I dug in (thanks for linking sources) and there are some promising details. The ~80% figure for the US is from a 2011 report (even though the citation states 2014...), so it's very old. In 2019, the US began an initiative to increase awareness of this issue and address it, see the progress here (pdf link).

Not trying to counter the narrative, but at least we're talking about it on the federal level, so maybe that can provide some optimism to people.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago

Unfortunately talking about a problem is not enough when the industry throws money at legislators to not do anything or delay all progress.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Unfortunately, the trend is in the opposite direction for the US. Here's a more recent source looking at the use of the most medically important antibiotics and how they have continued to increase

(note: not including all antibiotics so not directly comparable previous citation)

In addition, the proportion of the most medically important antibiotics is increasingly going to farmed animals instead of humans, according to an analysis published in September by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and One Health Trust. In 2017, the meat industry purchased 62% of the U.S. supply, but by 2020, this rose to 69%.

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/despite-rising-deaths-bacterial-infection-meat-industry-under-little-pressure-2024-03-12/

Even some companies that specifically claim to not use antibiotics, have been found to use antibiotics

Some beef ‘raised without antibiotics’ tests positive for antibiotics in study

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/04/07/antibiotics-found-in-natural-meat/