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American Morning
McDonald's Tells Suppliers to Cut Antibiotic Use in Livestock
Aired June 23, 2003 - 08:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A policy change by McDonald's to tell you about this morning. It could have far-reaching health effects for the better, some health advocacy groups say. The fast food giant is telling it's suppliers to phase out the use of growth promoting drugs in animals.
With more from that from CNN Center in Atlanta to explain the potential impact of this decision, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Sanjay, good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
You know it's sort of interesting, the whole use of antibiotics in animals has been something of concern for quite some time. Most people don't know that a lot of the animals who are subsequently used for meat supplies in a lot fast food restaurants and other restaurants actually get antibiotics. A lot of these are considered growth promoting antibiotics.
So for a long time the fast food industry has had concern about whether or not to keep using these antibiotics. And for the fist time, as you mentioned, Daryn, McDonald's actually talking about phasing out the use of antibiotics in its meat supply. They think that this is going to be a significant public health service to do that.
Now they actually have quote on here talking about the fact that 2.5 billion pounds of chicken, beef and pork annually will be, over time, over the next couple of years, they will take actions to ultimately decrease the antibiotic use in that meat supply.
And now there's a little bit of question here because most people are sort of scratching their heads trying to figure how this all pieces together. Well antibiotics, again, have been used in meat for some time, the same meat that's used in fast food restaurants. They've also have some scientific evidence showing that if you use the same antibiotics in the meat supply, that it's subsequently used in people -- they actually eat that meat -- it may promote antibiotic resistance, thus, making antibiotics less effective over time.
That's the concern, that's why McDonald's is taking this action.
KAGAN: All right. Just not sure if -- you can hear me, Sanjay?
GUPTA: I can hear you.
KAGAN: OK, then let me go ahead and ask you this question, then.
So it's interesting that a big corporation like McDonald's will make this move. But what can individuals do on a daily basis to protect themselves?
GUPTA: Yes, you know, that's a good question. And there's a lot of -- it's good point, because antibiotic resistance is something that's been quite a concern in the medical community for quite some time.
Certainly, people who have just typical colds, typically viral illnesses should not be taking antibiotics for those things. Couple reasons. First of all, viruses don't respond to antibiotics. Antibiotics are for bacteria only.
Second of all, if you use antibiotics inappropriately, over time, you start to sort of get these generations of antibiotic resistant organisms that will start to become less resistant -- more resistant, I should say, to conventional antibiotics.
Some interesting stories actually related to the meat in antibiotic resistance. Out of Spain you're actually starting to see children who have never, ever taken certain kinds of antibiotics, very powerful antibiotics, actually developing a resistance to them, probably from the meat supply. So this is obviously a problem.
There are some organizations out there that say, obviously, you've still got to treat the animals if they're sick with antibiotics. And McDonald's says that they'll do that. But this is obviously a concern, it's something that they're taking some action with.
KAGAN: Dr. Sanjay Gupta in Atlanta. Sanjay, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Livestock>
Aired June 23, 2003 - 08:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A policy change by McDonald's to tell you about this morning. It could have far-reaching health effects for the better, some health advocacy groups say. The fast food giant is telling it's suppliers to phase out the use of growth promoting drugs in animals.
With more from that from CNN Center in Atlanta to explain the potential impact of this decision, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Sanjay, good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
You know it's sort of interesting, the whole use of antibiotics in animals has been something of concern for quite some time. Most people don't know that a lot of the animals who are subsequently used for meat supplies in a lot fast food restaurants and other restaurants actually get antibiotics. A lot of these are considered growth promoting antibiotics.
So for a long time the fast food industry has had concern about whether or not to keep using these antibiotics. And for the fist time, as you mentioned, Daryn, McDonald's actually talking about phasing out the use of antibiotics in its meat supply. They think that this is going to be a significant public health service to do that.
Now they actually have quote on here talking about the fact that 2.5 billion pounds of chicken, beef and pork annually will be, over time, over the next couple of years, they will take actions to ultimately decrease the antibiotic use in that meat supply.
And now there's a little bit of question here because most people are sort of scratching their heads trying to figure how this all pieces together. Well antibiotics, again, have been used in meat for some time, the same meat that's used in fast food restaurants. They've also have some scientific evidence showing that if you use the same antibiotics in the meat supply, that it's subsequently used in people -- they actually eat that meat -- it may promote antibiotic resistance, thus, making antibiotics less effective over time.
That's the concern, that's why McDonald's is taking this action.
KAGAN: All right. Just not sure if -- you can hear me, Sanjay?
GUPTA: I can hear you.
KAGAN: OK, then let me go ahead and ask you this question, then.
So it's interesting that a big corporation like McDonald's will make this move. But what can individuals do on a daily basis to protect themselves?
GUPTA: Yes, you know, that's a good question. And there's a lot of -- it's good point, because antibiotic resistance is something that's been quite a concern in the medical community for quite some time.
Certainly, people who have just typical colds, typically viral illnesses should not be taking antibiotics for those things. Couple reasons. First of all, viruses don't respond to antibiotics. Antibiotics are for bacteria only.
Second of all, if you use antibiotics inappropriately, over time, you start to sort of get these generations of antibiotic resistant organisms that will start to become less resistant -- more resistant, I should say, to conventional antibiotics.
Some interesting stories actually related to the meat in antibiotic resistance. Out of Spain you're actually starting to see children who have never, ever taken certain kinds of antibiotics, very powerful antibiotics, actually developing a resistance to them, probably from the meat supply. So this is obviously a problem.
There are some organizations out there that say, obviously, you've still got to treat the animals if they're sick with antibiotics. And McDonald's says that they'll do that. But this is obviously a concern, it's something that they're taking some action with.
KAGAN: Dr. Sanjay Gupta in Atlanta. Sanjay, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Livestock>
