McDonald's: Fewer Drugs, Please

McDonald's Corp. announced Thursday it is asking its meat suppliers in the U.S. to phase out the use of certain antibiotics now given to livestock to promote growth.

The new policy is in response to concerns that the practice may lessen the effectives of certain drugs in humans who are exposed to the medication by eating the meat of animals who were given the antibiotics.

Public health advocates have been targeting fast food chains to reduce what they say is overuse of antibiotics to make cows, pigs and chickens grow bigger faster. But animal growers counter that the claims of a detrimental effect on human medicines are not based in proven science.

Beginning in 2004, McDonald's - one of the nation's largest meat purchasers - will prohibit its direct suppliers from using medically important antibiotics to promote growth in food animals.

The restaurant chain's direct suppliers - who sell the fast-food giant 70 percent of its poultry - will be asked to submit an annual self-certification saying they are complying with the policy. McDonald's says it plans to offer incentives for indirect suppliers, who provide its beef and pork, to comply with the new policy.

The policy does not prohibit the use of antibiotics to treat sick animals.

"McDonald's is asking producers that supply over 2.5 billion pounds of chicken, beef and pork annually to take actions that will ultimately help protect public health," said Frank Muschetto, a McDonald's senior vice president.

Environmental Defense and other organizations that oppose antibiotics to make animals grow larger worry that overuse weakens the effectiveness of antibiotics on humans. They said they hope the policy will mark a turning point in the way U.S. farmers raise animals.

The Coalition for Animal Health, comprised of trade groups representing the animal production, feed and health products industries, said McDonald's policy is not based on science and that the products it is asking suppliers not to use have all been proven safe.

The policy announced Thursday is not the food giant's first foray into addressing consumer concerns - whether or not they are grounded in science.

In 2001, McDonald's USA poultry suppliers stopped giving chickens fluoroquinolones antibiotics. In Europe, McDonald's began phasing out growth-promoting antibiotics beginning three years ago; the drugs are now no longer used there in feed for chickens headed for the golden arches.