Lance B. Price, PhD, director of the Antibiotic Resistance Action Center at the Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH), was featured on a recent episode of the acclaimed CBS news program “60 Minutes.”
Price, a professor of environmental and occupational health at Milken Institute SPH, spoke to “60 Minutes” about the overuse of antibiotics in food animal production and how this contributes to the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Price and the Antibiotic Resistance Action Center study methods to mitigate antibiotic resistance, which is a growing public health threat.
As featured on “60 Minutes,” Price leads a team of researchers who test meat purchased from grocery stores for antibiotic resistant bacteria. People may unknowingly expose themselves to antibiotic-resistant bacteria when purchasing meat.
“These bacteria, we consume them with the meat. Those bacteria then get into our system and they cause infections,” Price explains during the segment. He goes on to say that doctors may not have any antibiotics to treat infections caused by some resistant superbugs.
In the segment, Price also discussed the recent weakening of government regulation of the agriculture industry and inspection of consumer-bought meat, which may pose a new harm to consumers’ health.
A leading national and international expert, Price’s research focuses on the intersection of science and policy to address the growing crisis of antibiotic resistance. Click here to watch Price’s full interview with “60 Minutes.” To learn more about the Antibiotic Resistance Action Center, click here.