Pictured: Dr Chris Van Tulleken, who is warning against how everyday items are contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs
Whenever we go shopping for food, we risk unwittingly fuelling one of the world’s most dangerous public health emergencies.
Recent research shows that antibiotic resistant superbugs are increasing in numbers, and pizza may not be the only food to blame.
These are low-welfare farms all over the globe. More than half the world’s antibiotics are not given to people but to livestock – and are then passed on to humans when we consume those animal products.
Animals raised to produce cheap meat are frequently kept in cramped, stressful and dirty conditions. This encourages the spread of disease.
Instead of improving the animals’ living conditions, farmers find it cheaper – and more profitable – to routinely dose up the animals with regular antibiotics in the hope of preventing infection outbreaks.
Farmers who give antibiotics unnecessarily or excessively to their livestock can encourage the growth of deadly superbugs and infect ordinary bacteria.
This global level of overuse has quietly but steadily fuelled the world’s antibiotic-resistance crisis, where ever-deadlier bacteria can shrug off even our most potent medicines.
The UK Health Security Agency has warned, just this week that one fifth of people infected with an infection by 2020 was likely to have an antibiotic-resistant strain.
Scientists believe that the main reason for antibiotic resistance is antibiotic overuse in humans.
Many scientists believe antibiotic use by humans is the primary cause of antibiotic resistance. Pictured is a pile of prescription pills (stock photo).
Farm animals are exposed to dangerous bacteria in harsh, cramped conditions. This is why so many antibiotics have been given.
Farms can transmit antibiotic-resistant superbugs around the globe through their food as well as the waste and muck they generate.
The virus can also be transmitted to humans by infected livestock workers, including farm or slaughterhouse personnel.
So it’s easy to see how easily superbugs can escape from farms.
The exact amount of animal abuse that leads to infection resistance is still unknown.
But as a doctor, I believe it’s just not worth gambling on this.
I’m alarmed by the new research showing that leading UK supermarkets are failing to do enough to make sure antibiotics aren’t being misused on farms that provide us with meat, milk, eggs and fish.
Dr Chris Van Tulleken is urging every British shopper to sign a petitions that’s launched today and which asks Asda, Aldi, Co-op, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose to make sure the rules they have in place apply to all the animal products they sell
What’s worse is that many supermarkets have double standards for antibiotic use, with tough rules for some supply chains and zero rules for others.
British farmers are to be commended because they have reduced the use of antibiotics on their farms by approximately 50% over the last five years. However, their usage is still too high.
What’s concerning now is that new trade deals with countries outside the EU will lead to more imports from places such as Australia and the US where antibiotic use is even more excessive.
Antibiotic resistance has no boundaries and it is impossible to prevent high-risk products from reaching supermarket shelves. It doesn’t matter where you live, geographical distance will not stop infectious catastrophes from happening.
UK supermarkets will not demand that farms adhere to the same safety standards as elsewhere until then.
I am an infectious diseases physician and this concerns me deeply. In order to protect the lifesaving power of antibiotics, I feel obliged to speak up.
I would urge every British shopper to sign the petition that’s launched today and which asks Asda, Aldi, Co-op, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose to make sure the rules they have in place apply to all the animal products they sell.
This is what determines the health of our family.
Dr Chris van Tulleken, a doctor in infectious diseases and broadcaster.