The U.S. government needs to focus on the growing threat of antimicrobial-resistant superbugs, writes Phyllis Arthur, BIO’s SVP of Infectious Disease and Emerging Science Policy, in RealClearHealth.
Why it matters: “In 2019, antibiotic resistance was associated with more than 170,000 deaths in the United States and nearly 5 million deaths worldwide,” says Arthur.
Preparing for the next pandemic is important—but “superbugs pose an equally grave danger today. They’re here already, yet they’re receiving comparatively little attention,” she explains.
We need new antimicrobials, urgently—but the market is “broken” as they must be used judiciously. Every small company that developed one of the eight antimicrobials approved by the FDA in the last decade has “either filed for bankruptcy, been acquired, or left the antibiotics space entirely,” Arthur continues.
A solution: Instead of making revenue dependent on sales volume, antimicrobial drug developers should be compensated for the public health value of new treatments. A subscription model, like the one proposed in the PASTEUR Act, would help by "stabilizing a return on investment in highly risky antimicrobial development."
The bottom line: “Passing PASTEUR should be one of Congress’ top priorities. AMR is a national security threat we know how to prepare for. It’s time our political leaders take advantage of that opportunity,” Arthur concludes—read and share the op-ed here.
More Health News:
The New York Times: Experimental drug cuts off pain at source, company says
“Vertex Pharmaceuticals of Boston announced Tuesday that it had developed an experimental drug that relieves moderate to severe pain, blocking pain signals before they can get to the brain. It works only on peripheral nerves — those outside the brain and the spinal cord — making it unlike opioids. Vertex says its new drug is expected to avoid opioids’ potential to lead to addiction.”
