No FDA Hearings On Antibiotics Use

FDA does not have to immediately begin hearings into the risks of antibiotics in animal feed, a federal court in New York City ruled last week. The finding by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit overturns a lower court decision that would have forced the agency to hold hearings on the use of penicillin and tetracyclines in animal feed. The lawsuit was filed in 2011 by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and other public interest groups. The groups fear that the overuse of antibiotics in feed will lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The suit came after FDA failed to respond to the groups’ requests in 1999 and 2005 for hearings. After the lawsuit was filed, FDA said it would manage antibiotics in animal feed through voluntary measures.