2002 World Congress of Environmental and Resource Economists

Antibiotic resistance is a major problem for public health on a global scale. Next to overuse and inconsistent application in human medicine, the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry has been identified as an important source of risk. The analysis in this paper focuses on the case of antibiotic feed additives in the EU. In a recent directive the EU Commission withdrew the authorization of four such substances. Being largely characterised by scientific uncertainty, the decision process provides a good opportunity to analyze how the Commission weighted the available scientific evidence. The analysis also covers the impacts of the prohibition and industry response. Preliminary findings from a firm survey suggest that the substances were mainly substituted by improved livestock management. The role of this particular case for establishing the precautionary principle as a guiding standard for public health regulation relating to both food safety and environmental quality is discussed.



	Paper Title:	Public Health And The Use Of Antibiotics In Animal Husbandry
	Presenting Author:	Andreas Boecker (University of Giessen)
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	Abstract:	Antibiotic resistance is a major problem for public health on a global scale. Next to overuse and inconsistent application in human medicine, the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry has been identified as an important source of risk. The analysis in this paper focuses on the case of antibiotic feed additives in the EU. In a recent directive the EU Commission withdrew the authorization of four such substances. Being largely characterised by scientific uncertainty, the decision process provides a good opportunity to analyze how the Commission weighted the available scientific evidence. The analysis also covers the impacts of the prohibition and industry response. Preliminary findings from a firm survey suggest that the substances were mainly substituted by improved livestock management. The role of this particular case for establishing the precautionary principle as a guiding standard for public health regulation relating to both food safety and environmental quality is discussed.
	Link to paper:	Not available

	Session / Day / Time	1H / Monday / 8:00 - 10:00 am

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