McDonald's Urged to Ban Meat and Milk From Animals Treated With Antibiotics

A new campaign is putting pressure on fast food giant McDonald's to impose a global ban on products from animals treated with antibiotics.

Scientists have warned that treating livestock with antibiotics is leading to a rise in drug-resistant superbugs, and the charity ShareAction has called on consumers to email McDonald's chief executive Steve Easterbrook, the BBC reported.

In early August, the fast food chain stopped using poultry treated with antibiotics—but only in its U.S. restaurants.

ShareAction has called on the world's biggest food chain to stop using chicken, beef, pork and dairy products that have been given antibiotics in all of its 30,000 stores globally.

Medical experts have warned that the routine use of antibiotics to promote growth and prevent—rather than treat—illness in farm animals contributes to the rise of drug-resistant "superbug" infections.

They are said to kill at least 23,000 Americans a year and represent a significant threat to global public health.