The FDA recently announced that 25 pharmaceutical companies are voluntarily phasing out the use of growth promoting antibiotics if animals used in our meat supply. The companies said that they will either stop giving these animals antibiotics immediately, or will revise their protocols so that antibiotics would be given, but only if a veterinarian prescribed them.
We learn from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention that about 2,000 Americans die monthly of “drug resistant infections.” As I have taught for decades, when an infection is fungal (which I believe to be very common-they do not) but treated as bacterial (antibiotics) the antibiotics tend to fuel the underlying fungus actually causing the infection. In the best-case scenario, an acute sinus infection now becomes chronic as the fungus causing the sinus infection (Mayo Clinic states that about 94% of chronic sinusitis is of fungal origin) is fueled with antibiotics. They are miserable, but they do not die. Of course, in the worst-case scenario, a serious disease thought to be a bacterial infection, might be accelerated with the use of antibiotics. I’m left to wonder how many lumps were initially treated as a bacterial infection and were later determined to be “cancer.”
Whereas I salute the FDA for taking this action, one must question the motive behind the extended delay, when they knew long ago that traces of mycotoxins (antibiotics are fungal mycotoxins) enter our food supply from animal sources. This is especially insidious considering that the FDA has allowed this practice to go on for one purpose only-the fatting the calves. There are no obvious health benefits from eating bigger cows or chickens.
Finally, did you see the somewhat hidden fact in this article? My guess is that a veterinarian can be hired for $150,000 annually. All 25 of these drug makers may continue adding antibiotics to our meat supply, apparently with the FDA’s approval, so long as each one employs a veterinarian. I hate to seem so cynical, but since drug companies and our FDA seem to be so closely yoked, this seems to be a better plan to rectify unemployment than to benefit our health and wellness. Drug companies can hire a veterinarian and continue adding antibiotics to our food supply. Unemployment, the headlines will say, is down by 25!