Why Is a Drug Banned in Europe, Canada Still Being Fed to U.S. Pork?

America’s hog farmers have been fattening up their pigs with an antibiotic added into animal feed that was deemed safe for nearly four decades. Then six years ago, regulators realized they might be wrong — and that cancer-causing chemicals could be making their way to consumers through pork chops and hot dogs.

With the threat of dangerous carcinogens entering the food supply, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decided it would yank approval for the drug, called carbadox. But then, the agency quickly backed down.