04.23.2003

Want Drugs With Those Fries?
By Michael Khoo 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.