#038 Antibiotic resistance and farms: Are we reaping what we’ve sown?

In the battle against the growing problem of antibiotic resistance one industry, in particular, is coming under a lot of pressure. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 80% of medically important antibiotics are used in the animal sector. Most of these medicines are used on healthy animals.  Unfortunately, cutting down on veterinary medicines is not a simple thing to do. And even if we do, it’s not clear how much of a difference it would make on its own. Dr Jonathan Rushton is a Professor of Animal Health and Food Systems Economics. Dr. Lucy Coyne is a veterinarian and researcher in Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Liverpool.