This latest move comes despite warnings of potential harm to humans and the development of drug-resistant strains
March 3, 2007, 10:19PM
FDA poised to approve cattle antibiotic despite warnings
Agency likely will approve antibiotic despite fears it could harm people
By RICK WEISS
Washington Post
The government is on track to approve a new antibiotic to treat a pneumonia-like disease in cattle, despite warnings from health groups and a majority of the agency's own expert advisers that the decision will be dangerous — for people.
The drug, called cefquinome, belongs to a class of highly potent antibiotics that are among medicine's last defense against several serious human infections. No drug from that class has ever been approved in the United States for use in animals.
The American Medical Association and about a dozen other health groups warned the Food and Drug Administration that giving cefquinome to animals would probably speed the emergence of microbes resistant to that important class of antibiotic, as has happened with other drugs. Those super-microbes could then spread to people.
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