Research released today by World Animal Protection UK has revealed the true toll of UK deaths, sickness and economic loss caused by antibiotic overuse in meat production.
In 2022, almost 2000 human deaths were associated with antibiotic use in factory farms, and this number is predicted to rise to over 2,400 a year by 2050. The report also calculated a £1.32 billion loss to the UK economy in 2022 due to work absences due to ill health linked to factory farming superbugs, and nearly 40,000 work years (disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)) lost.
The research – undertaken by University of Bologna Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences’ scientist Massimo Canali – showed that UK farmers have reduced antibiotic usage per kilo of animal in recent years, but due to increasing numbers of animals raised for meat, by 2050 the amount of antibiotics used will increase by 6.9%. This is predicted to result in UK economic losses increasing from £1.32 billion in 2022, to £1.39 billion in 2050 if no action is taken.
World Animal Protection’s global report from earlier this year found that the global human death toll from factory farming superbugs is on course to double by 2050 to 2 million if no immediate action is taken.
World Animal Protection polling from September 2023 also revealed the concern that the human health cost of antibiotic use in factory farms is causing to people in the UK; three in five people in the UK feel shocked that people may suffer with AMR (Antimicrobial resistance) infections such as MRSA, because of the overuse of antibiotics on factory farms, and 70% of people support World Animal Protection’s call to ban the routine and preventative use of antibiotics on farmed animals.
Mary, a frequent user of antibiotics, said: “Living with a chronic antibiotic resistant infection for the past 30 years since my second son was born means I live in constant fear, never knowing when another infection will strike. I feel desperate, not knowing if this time the antibiotics won’t work, and this bug will get me in the end. Each time I am told I am resistant to another antibiotic is so scary as my life saving treatments diminish one by one.”
Dr Ron Daniels – CEO of the UK Sepsis Trust, commented: “The recent reduction by the farming industry of antibiotic use doesn’t go far enough, we must end the routine preventative use of antibiotics to reduce the human health and economic burden of AMR. To do this we have to raise animal welfare.”
Lindsay Duncan, Farming Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection UK, said: “In 2022 there were almost 2000 deaths unnecessarily due to resistant E. coli and Salmonella associated to antibiotic use in factory farms. The UK farming sector has made a reduction, but our report shows this isn’t enough to reduce the impact on human health. We’re calling on the UK government to do the right thing and follow the EU’s lead by banning the routine and preventative use of antibiotics for farmed animals. 70% of people in the UK support a ban.”
Global health is at a critical threshold with demand for meat expected to increase by 2030 as much as 30% in Africa, 18% in Asia Pacific, 12% in Latin America, and 9% in North America.
Today’s report from World Animal Protection UK has revealed the true toll of UK deaths, sickness and economic loss caused by antibiotic overuse in meat production, with almost 2000 human deaths linked to antibiotic use in factory farms in 2022 and over 2,400 a year predicted by 2050 if nothing is done. The UK economy is estimated to lose £1.32 billion in 2022 due to work absences due to ill health linked to factory farming superbugs, and this could rise to £1.39 billion by 2050.
The report also found that 70% of people in the UK are concerned to know that animals are routinely given antibiotics in order to survive the conditions on the UK’s factory farms, and 70% of people support World Animal Protection’s call to ban the routine and preventative use of antibiotics on farmed animals.
Mary, a frequent user of antibiotics, said: “Living with a chronic antibiotic resistant infection for the past 30 years since my second son was born means I live in constant fear, never knowing when another infection will strike. I feel desperate, not knowing if this time the antibiotics won’t work, and this bug will get me in the end. Each time I am told I am resistant to another antibiotic is so scary as my life saving treatments diminish one by one.”
Dr Ron Daniels – CEO of the UK Sepsis Trust, commented: “The recent reduction by the farming industry of antibiotic use doesn’t go far enough
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.