Carcinogenic pig drug banned worldwide remains in U.S. food supply as FDA delays action – NaturalNews.com

• FDA withdraws approval for swine drug Carbadox over cancer concerns.
• Carcinogenic residues from the drug have been found in pork products.
• The drug has been used for decades to promote pig growth and prevent disease.
• The UK and other nations have already banned the use of Carbadox.

While Canada, the European Union, and Australia banned it years ago, more than half of American pigs are still fed carbadox, a carcinogen so dangerous that international experts have declared there is no safe level of exposure. Despite decades of warnings, the FDA’s regulatory failures have left this DNA-damaging drug legal in U.S. pork, exposing millions of consumers to a preventable cancer risk.

This isn’t just a theoretical danger. A report from the Food Animal Concerns Trust explains that when pigs are fed carbadox, the drug breaks down into compounds that damage DNA. The United Nations Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods, a leading international body on food safety, found there is “no safe level of carbadox.” This means any trace amount poses an unacceptable cancer risk to people who eat pork products.

The scope of exposure is significant. More than half of pigs raised for food in the U.S. are exposed to carbadox. It is primarily used in concentrated animal feeding operations to promote growth and suppress gut infections that spread in unsanitary, crowded conditions. This practice directly introduces DNA-damaging residues into the food supply.

The threat extends beyond the dinner plate. Farm workers who handle medicated feed inhale carbadox dust, exposing their lungs to carcinogenic particles. Environmental contamination is another major concern as waste from these large-scale pig operations can seep into lakes and streams, spreading the compound far beyond the farm.

Years of stalled action despite known cancer risk

The FDA’s failure to act is particularly glaring given the international consensus. While the agency proposed withdrawing approval for carbadox as far back as 2016, the process has repeatedly stalled. A more recent proposal in November 2023 also failed to result in a ban. This bureaucratic inertia has allowed the drug to remain on the market for years after the FDA’s own Center for Veterinary Medicine determined it poses a cancer risk.

Although researchers analyzing 33 pork products from 13 producers in the Baltimore area found no detectable carbadox residues, this does not mean the problem is solved. The study was limited in scope, and most of the pork producers who were contacted refused to disclose whether they used the drug, highlighting a critical lack of transparency for consumers.

This opacity means you are left in the dark. Without clear labeling or producer disclosure, there is no reliable way to know if the pork you purchase came from pigs treated with this carcinogen. The researchers themselves stressed that widespread, ongoing monitoring is essential to truly protect the public.

The solution exists. Farmers who raise pigs humanely, avoiding overcrowding and providing proper diets, do not need carbadox. As the FACT report emphasizes, “Humanely raising these animals results in healthier pigs and healthier people without the cancer risk carbadox introduces.” This proves the drug is a crutch for an unsustainable industrial system, not a necessity for farming.

What can you do while regulators drag their feet?

You are not powerless while waiting for regulators to act. To protect your family, you can avoid pork altogether. If you choose to eat pork, seek out products from responsible sources. Look for organic certification, which prohibits carbadox, or buy from local farmers who are transparent about their practices.

Consumer pressure can also drive larger change. Major food corporations like McDonald’s and Tyson Foods have the power to demand their pork suppliers stop using carbadox. Public petitions and direct feedback to these companies and the FDA can amplify the demand for a ban.

The reality is that many nations moved to protect their citizens from this carcinogen years ago. The continued presence of carbadox in the U.S. food supply is a testament to regulatory failure. Until the FDA fulfills its mission to protect public health, the responsibility falls on you to seek out safer food and demand the change that science and safety require.

Sources for this article include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

FoodAnimalConcernsTrust.org

FederalRegister.gov