Featured Issue Briefs
The Battle on the Home Front: Jonathan Gadsden's Story
Marine Lance Corporal's story reflects the growing need for new antibiotics that can treat dangerous diseases, against which most drugs are useless. Read More
Facilitating Medical Device Innovation: De Novo Reform
The de novo process -- which requests lower-risk reclassification of medical devices and entry into the marketplace -- as it exists now is not achieving its purpose and has instead added unnecessary and time-consuming requirements. Read More
Food Products Recalled by FDA
Since President Obama signed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act into law, at least 149 FDA-regulated food products have been recalled due to potential pathogenic contamination. Read More
More Issue Briefs
| Date | Issue Briefs | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 8, 2009 |
Letter from Danish Chief Veterinarian to CongressIn Denmark the termination of non-therapeutic use of antimicrobials for growth promotion has not caused any negative impact on the animal production. The Danish animal food industry has continued to improve its productivity and to increase its output. More info |
Antibiotics in Food Animal Production |
| Dec 21, 2009 |
Capitol Hill Briefing: Industrial Animal Farms and Worker Health and SafetyOn December 17, 2009, Pew hosted a briefing on Capitol Hill in collaboration with Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Leading experts discussed the public health and sociological effects of industrial farm animal production for farm workers and rural communities. More info |
Antibiotics in Food Animal Production |
| Feb 2, 2010 |
Charts Displaying Denmark's Decline in Antibiotic ResistanceThese charts summarize Denmark's decline in antibiotic usage and antibiotic resistance, as well as the increase of livestock and poultry production after a ban on the nontheraputic use of antibiotics and antimicrobial drugs in food production animals. More info |
Antibiotics in Food Animal Production |
| Feb 8, 2010 |
Important Human Medicines Used on Industrial FarmsIndustrial animal farms commonly administer low doses of antibiotics and other antimicrobials (drugs that fight microorganisms like bacteria and viruses) to pigs, cows, chickens, sheep, and other food animal species for the purpose of growth promotion or weight gain. Typically, these sub-therapeutic doses, which are generally not high enough to fight active diseases or infections, are given directly to animals in their feed or water. More info |
Antibiotics in Food Animal Production |
| Feb 8, 2010 |
Food Safety and the Antibiotic Resistance CrisisAccording to a first-ever study by professors at the University of Regina in the United Kingdom, U.S. food safety ranks seventh or “average” among 17 other industrialized nations. At least 76 million cases of food-borne disease occur each year in the U.S. While many health problems caused by contaminated food are not serious, some food-borne infections are much more dangerous, leading to convulsions, premature delivery and miscarriage, sepsis, or even death. More info |
Antibiotics in Food Animal Production |
| Feb 8, 2010 |
Antibiotic Resistance and the Industrial Animal FarmAntibiotics are commonly prescribed drugs that kill bacteria or suppress their ability to grow, allowing the human immune system to respond and heal from illness. Antibiotic resistance is a dangerous bacterial trait which enables bacteria to survive and continue to grow instead of being inhibited or destroyed by therapeutic doses of the drug. As a result, antibiotic-resistant bacteria can evade the effects of the antibiotic and multiply, with severe consequences for human health. More info |
Antibiotics in Food Animal Production |
| Feb 8, 2010 |
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Animals and Unnecessary Human Health RisksIn the United States, many food animals—poultry, swine and cattle—are routinely treated with antibiotics in order to grow animals faster and to compensate for unsanitary conditions on many industrial farms. Recently, major increases in antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in human populations have led to public health concerns regarding antibiotic use for non-therapeutic purposes (i.e., not used to treat disease) in animals destined for food production. More info |
Antibiotics in Food Animal Production |
| Feb 8, 2010 |
Industrial Farms and Antibiotic ResistanceBasic information on antibiotics, their use on industrial animal farms, and the problem of antibiotic resistance from the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming. More info |
Antibiotics in Food Animal Production |
| Feb 19, 2010 |
Produce Safety Project: Stakeholders' Discussion Series MeetingsThe Food and Drug Administration announced in December 2009, that it was going to establish a nationwide produce safety standard for the growing, harvesting and packing of fresh fruits and vegetables and opened an official docket for comments in February 2010. More info |
Food Safety |
| Feb 22, 2010 |
Moving Towards Safer Credit CardsOn February 22, major new consumer protections took effect as part of the second implementation phase of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009. Just two practices addressed in this second phase will save American consumers at least $10 billion a year. The Pew Health Group's Safe Credit Cards Project is looking ahead to the third and final phase of the Credit CARD Act, to take effect August 22, 2010, which will require all credit card penalties to be “reasonable and proportional” and will direct card issuers to review all interest rate increases since the beginning of 2009. More info |
Credit Cards |
