The Federal government's Interagency Task Force on Microbial Resistance has issued an 84-item plan to combat the growing public health problem presented by microbes' increasing ability to shrug off antibiotics. This recently released first part of the plan is aimed at domestic concerns, including the use of antibiotics and other drugs in agriculture (H. Black, "Agricultural antibiotics scrutinized," The Scientist, 14[12]:1, June 12, 2000). The Food and Drug Administration is proposing to withdraw its controversial 1996 approval of the use of the fluoroquinolone Enrofloxacin in poultry because the agency says, of the problem of antimicrobial resistance. The plan has major priorities. These include developing 1) an anti-microbial resistance surveillance plan that includes local through national activities, and procedures to monitor antimicrobial drug use in agriculture, human, and veterinary medicine, and in consumer products; 2) public health education on the proper use of antimicrobial products; 3) research on how...
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