Restaurant Brands International Inc said it intends to switch its Burger King and Tim Hortons chains in the United States and Canada to chicken raised without the use of antibiotics important to human medicine by the end of 2018.
The company, which bought Popeyes Louisiana Chicken this year, said it intends to apply the new policy to all brands over time. It did not share additional details about the new antibiotic rules.
Human infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose a grave threat to global health and are estimated to kill at least 23,000 Americans each year, although a recent Reuters investigation found that many infection-related deaths are going uncounted.
Some 70 percent of antibiotics vital for fighting infections in humans are sold for use in meat and dairy production. Medical researchers have concerns that overuse of those drugs on farms may diminish their effectiveness in fighting disease in humans.
