IDSA : Letters to Congress for Agriculture

04/03/2013

IDSA Comments on Petition to National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on Oxytetracycline (PDF)

IDSA urges the NOSB to oppose any delay in the removal of the expiration date (October 21, 2014) for the authorized use of oxytetracycline for the control of fire blight in apples and pears.

09/25/2012

IDSA Provides Comments to FDA on Reporting Requirements for Antibiotic Use in Food-Producing Animals (PDF)

IDSA urges FDA to enhance its reporting requirements on antibiotic use in food-producing animals to help measure the impact of these practices on antimicrobial resistance. Specifically, IDSA asks FDA to collect additional sales data from manufacturers, including: (1) species-level distribution data; (2) indication for use; (3) route of administration; (4) retail outlet-level data on antibiotic sales rather than a national aggregate; and (5) antimicrobial drug sales data from manufacturers of medical animal feeds, or "animal feed mills."

07/11/2012

IDSA Comments on FDA Documents Regarding Judicious Use of Antibiotics in Food Animals and Veterinary Feed Directive Proposed Rule (PDF)

IDSA commends FDA for taking critical steps towards more appropriate antimicrobial use in food animals and submitted comments to strengthen FDA's actions regarding judicious use of medically-important antimicrobials in food-producing animals, new animal drug products administered in feed and drinking water of food-producing animals, and the Veterinary Feed Directive proposed rule.

03/06/2012

IDSA Letter to FDA on Order Prohibiting Cephalosporin Use in Food Animal Production (PDF)

IDSA provided comments on FDA's order prohibiting extra-label use of cephalosporin drugs in food-producing animals.

06/09/2011

IDSA Letter to FDA on Extra-Label use of Cephalosporins in Food Animal Production (PDF)

IDSA joined over 20 other organizations requesting the FDA to revisit its issuance of a revised order prohibiting extra-label use of cephalosporin drugs in food-producing animals.

04/04/2011

IDSA Comments on NARMS Strategy (PDF)

IDSA submitted comments on the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) Strategic Plan 2011-2015, applauding FDA's efforts to enhance public health protections through antimicrobial resistance surveillance, while also calling for increased farm-level surveillance and increased funding for NARMS.

08/23/2010

IDSA Urges FDA to Issue Regulations to Eliminate Non-Judicious Uses of Antibiotics in Animal Agriculture (PDF)

In a letter commenting on FDA’s new Draft Guidance 209, IDSA urged the agency to move beyond a voluntary guidance and to issue regulations to eliminate non-judicious uses of antibiotics in animal agriculture and to ensure that all remaining uses of antibiotics were under the direct supervision of a veterinarian.

01/22/2010

IDSA Letter to AVMA Raising Concerns about Proposed Animal-Drug Policy (PDF)

In a letter to the Chair of the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) Antimicrobial Use Task Force, IDSA raises concerns about a lack of specificity in the Task Force's proposed policy statement about the use of antibiotics in animals and the veterinarian's appropriate oversight role.

07/24/2009

20 Organizations Support Obama Administration's New Approach to Animal Drug Approvals and Uses (PDF)

IDSA and other organizations applaud the Obama administration and FDA for adopting an approach that demonstrates a clear commitment to sound and science-based policy development.

07/17/2009

IDSA and TFAH Support FDA's New Thinking on the Use of Antimicrobial Drugs in Animal Agriculture (PDF)

On July 13th, FDA testified in support of phasing out the use of antimicrobials in animals for growth promotions/feed efficiency and requiring that all other uses of antimicrobials in animals be carried out under the supervision of a veterinarian and within the boundaries of a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

06/26/2009

IDSA Outlines Priorities for FDA's Incoming Leaders (PDF)

In a letter to FDA Commissioner Peggy Hamburg, IDSA requested a meeting with top agency officials to discuss issues and strategies related to novel H1N1 influenza, impediments to antibacterial drug development, strategies to better address antimicrobial resistance and the use of antimicrobials in animals.

04/05/2007

IDSA Urges FDA to Reject Cefquinome (PDF)

IDSA urges FDA to reject the proposed use of cefquinome to treat a disease in cattle, citing concerns it would lead to reduced effectiveness of related human antimicrobials.

04/27/2006

Letter to EPA on Use of Gentamicin as a Pesticide (PDF)

IDSA commented on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) opposition to Michigan Department of Agriculture's Emergency Exemption Request to use gentamicin in plant agriculture.

03/31/2004

Infectious Disease Physicians Urge Bayer to Cease Marketing Baytril (PDF)

IDSA has joined other groups in calling for Bayer Corporation to remove from the market its drug, Baytril, a ciprofloxacin-like antibiotic used in poultry. Infectious disease experts, like consumer groups, are concerned that use of the drug in agriculture may promote antibiotic resistance, making similar drugs less effective in treating bacterial diarrhea in humans.

10/27/2000

IDSA Supports FDA's Review of the Use of Antimicrobial Agents in Animals (PDF)

IDSA supported FDA's review of the human health risks associated with the use of antimicrobial agents in animals in a statement. One drug company sponsor, Abbott, has agreed to withdraw its product. A second company, Bayer, is challenging FDA's decision. IDSA will continue to monitor this issue.

View all Letters to Agencies for Antibiotics in Agriculture