The revelations by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) and The Hindu regarding Venky’s marketing of antibiotics for poultry growth promotion have sparked concerns over public health. Venky’s, a major poultry producer in India, has been found marketing antibiotics for growth promotion and preventative use, despite global opposition and bans on such practices.
These antibiotics, including tylosin and amoxicillin, are vital for human health and their misuse in poultry farming poses a significant risk of antimicrobial resistance. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics in the poultry industry not only compromises the efficacy of these drugs in treating human infections but also contributes to the spread of drug-resistant pathogens through contaminated meat products. Urgent action is needed to regulate the use of antibiotics in poultry farming and mitigate the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance to public health worldwide.