Want Drugs With Those Fries?

Want Drugs With Those Fries?

Michael Khoo is a Washington representative with the Union of
Concerned Scientists.

No one likes to think about what goes into fast food. But stories
about fatty fries and potentially carcinogenic ingredients are only
half the story. A second important threat to public health lurks just
beyond the fryer -- the enormous amounts of antibiotics used to make
the burgers, bacon and nuggets.

About 13 million pounds a year are fed to chickens, cows and pigs to
make them grow faster or to compensate for unsanitary conditions.
That's about four times the amount used to treat sick people.

Why is the use in animals a threat to public health? Because the
overuse of drugs on factory farms creates antibiotic-resistant
bacteria that are difficult to treat. These bacteria can make
food-poisoning episodes last longer or recovery from surgery less
certain. As bacteria become more resistant, people can no longer be
sure that prescribed drugs will actually work.

To be fair, the overuse of antibiotics by people is also a cause of
these "superbugs." However, programs to educate doctors and patients
have reduced inappropriate use in human medicine. On the agricultural
side, there has been little progress despite calls for major
reductions from the American Medical Association, the Institute of
Medicine and the World Health Organization.

Companies such as McDonald's and Burger King are partly responsible
for antibiotic overuse. The fast-food industry's demand for a cheap
and uniform product has been a major driver in the emergence of the
crowded, stressful and unsanitary factory farms that lead to the
overuse of antibiotics. But just as they helped create the problem,
they can also help create the solution. Burger King and McDonald's
together command 61 percent of the fast-food burger market, a
position from which they can exert enormous influence.

These two companies are beginning to realize their responsibilities.
In 2002, McDonald's Social Responsibility Report acknowledged that
"many of the things we do have an indirect impact through our
suppliers" and explicitly states that "[antibiotic] use should be
managed in order to minimize their impact on antibiotic resistance in
humans."

McDonald's has taken a notable first step by refusing to buy poultry
that has been treated with antibiotics called fluoroquinolones.
However, those drugs were used in less than 1 percent of all chicken
flocks. This relatively minor reduction leaves the vast majority of
antibiotics used by its suppliers untouched.

Burger King, meanwhile, has only made vague claims in its press
materials that it has "a solid track record as a responsible
corporate citizen." It has not yet acknowledged its responsibilities
in this area.

Whatever these two companies are saying about corporate citizenship,
it is time for both to take strong action.

Experience shows that fast-food companies and meat producers can
protect the public health without increasing costs to consumers. The
European Union banned growth-promoting antibiotics in 1998 with no
reported effect on retail prices. Denmark documented a 50 percent
drop in antibiotic use and corresponding declines in the levels of
resistant bacteria in chickens and pigs on the farm. Both Burger King
and McDonald's operate in Europe and likely work with meat producers
who already meet these stringent standards.

Consumers in America are now waking up to the antibiotic-resistance
issue and its connection to animal agriculture. In 2002, a Harris
Poll found that 93 percent of consumers are aware of the threat of
antibiotic-resistant disease, and a Taylor Nelson Sofres poll found
62 percent of consumers oppose the routine feeding of antibiotics to
food animals.

Consumers are also beginning to understand the power fast-food
companies have to change farming practices. Over the last seven
months members of the Union of Concerned Scientists have sent more
than 31,000 letters to Burger King and McDonald's urging them to
reduce antibiotic use. Upcoming demonstrations in Portland, Maine,
and other cities are a sign of what is to come if these companies do
not strengthen their policies.

The mantra for antibiotics is, "The more you use them, the faster you
lose them." Doctors have begun to take appropriate responsibility for
people's overuse. Now it's time for fast-food companies to take fast
action and end their role in the abuse of our life-saving drugs.