CDC efforts on antibiotics use in pork in focus this week

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has launched its annual “Get Smart About Antibiotics Week” program, designed to provide information on progress to help the industry promote responsible use of antibiotics in pigs. The agency has set a goal of slowing the development and spread of antibiotic-resistant infections through improving the way antibiotics are prescribed and used, according Dr. Lauri Hicks, director of the CDC’s Office of Antibiotic Stewardship, in a news release. To that end, the CDC is using a $160-million allocation from the U.S. Congress to support additional research projects and to inform the industry and the general public on responsible antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance.