The following statement was released in reaction to today’s meeting of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) about their upcoming report and recommendations to the President on Antimicrobial Resistance.
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) enthusiastically welcomes today’s news from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) and we look forward to seeing the full report with recommendations to President Obama on antimicrobial resistance. IDSA has persistently sounded the alarm about the public health crisis of antibiotic resistance over the past decade, beginning with our 2004 “Bad Bugs, No Drugs” report. We believe that the highest levels of government must be fully committed to implementing multipronged policy solutions, including economic and regulatory incentives to stimulate the development of new antimicrobial drugs, diagnostics and vaccines; establishment of antibiotic stewardship programs in all healthcare facilities; and research and public health interventions to most effectively detect and control resistance, prevent infection, and optimize antibiotic use. We are hopeful that the PCAST report will lead to swift, coordinated action by the White House, relevant federal agencies, Congress and key non-government stakeholders.
###
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is an organization of physicians, scientists, and other health care professionals dedicated to promoting health through excellence in infectious diseases research, education, prevention, and patient care. The Society, which has nearly 10,000 members, was founded in 1963 and is based in Arlington.