What do you guys think of this article?

[Little Cow]

FDA poised to approve antibiotic for cattle
By Washinton Post | March 5, 2007

WASHINGTON -- 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 Food and Drug Administration's scientific 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 been approved in the United States for use in animals.

The American Medical Association and about a dozen other health groups warned the FDA that giving cefquinome to animals would probably speed the emergence of microbes resistant to that class of antibiotic, as has happened with other drugs. Those super-microbes could then spread to people.

Echoing those concerns, the FDA's advisory board last fall voted to reject the request by InterVet Inc. of Millsboro, Del., to market the drug for cattle.

But the FDA is expected to approve cefquinome this spring. That outcome is all but required, officials said, by a recently implemented "guidance document" that codifies how to weigh threats to human health posed by proposed new animal drugs.

Industry representatives say they trust Guidance 152's calculation that cefquinome should be approved. But others say Guidance 152 makes it too difficult for the FDA to say no to some drugs because it requires that the agency show a direct link to human mortality.
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As a biologist doing postbac work in microbiology, I am concerned about the implications. As far as my small herd, I think I'd rather take a loss than have my animals treated with this 'last resort' antibiotic.

As cattlemen, what do you guys think?

 

[backhoeboogie]

As cattlemen, what do you guys think?

Little Cow, I read that and then read it again. Now I am sitting here debating myself over it.

LA200 will knock just about anything pneumonia or virus related and works for me.

What determines last resort?

Secondly is this going to be another medication only available to vets and not available to cattlemen/women?

If the pharmo corps produce these medicines and cannot market them, the incentive to research is lost.

We have not yet reached black plague levels in my lifetime, except for aids and they have not found a cure for it. Even tho the cuase has been determined, people continue with lifestyles that render them vulnerable to contact. As long as that continues, the disease will continue to spread.

So if a virus of super proportion ever evolves, we do indeed need a silver bullet because we cannot count on all people to take proper measures.

Finally, if terrorists get their hands on this stuff, no doubt they will experiment with virus resistance. So I think it is best to keep it close guarded.

Now if we come up with two or three silver bullets............

 

[Little Cow]

Great questions! I wondered about laypeople versus 'vets only' access, too.

Guess I also wonder not so much about cow-calf operations, but feedlots. I assume with cattle coming in from all over the prophylactic use of antibiotics could really catch up with us quickly in that setting.

Didn't think about terrorism, but probably should have. That would raise the stakes.

 

[3MR]

What does vet access only really mean, just that you need to get it from your vet instead of the local feed store.

There are pleanty of drugs out there now that are vet access only that most of us use on a daily basis.

As for LA200, im not a believer, allthough I have used oxytetracyclene occasionaly in the past. I think its better to go right for the big guns and hit it with Batril or Nuflor, switching it up occasionaly. In my understanding and opinion, under dosing and/or weaker antibiotics is a huge contributor to antibiotic resistence.

Im against the approval of an antibiotic for animals only other than testing. I feel humans should always have the strongest of any drugs out there, most especially antibiotics.

 

[Little Cow]

3MR, you are absolutely right about underdosing. Big problem in human medicine is that people don't finish the antibiotics they start. Most docs are responsible enough to not give out antibiotics for cold viruses, but some still do, especially when people demand them, (this isn't a hit against folks that really need them because of sinus infections, bronchitis etc...).

In an ideal world, the organism causing illness in an animal, (or human), would be cultured, identified and then treated with the minimum required antibiotic for the prescribed amount of time. In other words, broad spectrum, 'big guns', would only be used when absolutely needed. But, this isn't practical for laypeople. Unless you want to set up a mini lab on the farm complete with a full stock of testing media, growth plates, incubators...you get the picture. Also, not practical for the mobile vets that haul out to see sick cows. Kind of puts us in a tough spot.

Is there a higher rate of resistant infections/illness among feedlot workers?

 

[BAGTIC]

"Im against the approval of an antibiotic for animals only other than testing. I feel humans should always have the strongest of any drugs out there, most especially antibiotics."

Antibiotics and other drugs are not interchangeable among species. Both effectivity and safety vary widely with what animals they are used on.

For example, from personal experience I learned that aureomycin, which I have used on several ocassions, is extremely lethal when given to rodents.