Pew Commends Senators Gillibrand and Feinstein for Working to Shine Light on Antibiotics Practices

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Mar 20, 2013, 03:57 ET

Senate HELP Committee Bill Omits Data Reporting

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee today adopted the Animal Drug User Fee Act, which failed to include provisions from Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) that would improve the Food and Drug Administration's annual reporting of antibiotic sales for use on industrial farms. The following statement should be attributed to Laura Rogers, project director, The Pew Charitable Trusts.

"We are extremely disappointed with the Senate HELP Committee. Though it is charged with protecting the public's health, it failed to seize its best opportunity to shine more light on practices that are breeding drug-resistant bacteria. These 'superbugs' make infections more difficult and costly to treat and more likely to cause death. Without greater transparency, antibiotic overuse may continue unchecked.

"We applaud Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) for leading the way on this issue. Their proposal to increase the transparency of antibiotic use on industrial farms would have shed much needed light on practices that threaten our health. The Animal Drug User Fee Act is our best chance to address this challenge, and we will work with them as the bill moves to the Senate floor to ensure that we do not miss this opportunity."

The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life.

SOURCE The Pew Charitable Trusts