WASHINGTON, DC >> Congressman Charles W. Boustany, Jr., MD, (R-LA) and Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) of the House Ways and Means Committee joined their colleagues Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-MN), Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL), and Congressman Gene Green (D-TX) in introducing the Reinvigorating Antibiotic and Diagnostic Innovation (READI) Act to address the rising public health challenge of antibiotic resistance.
“By incentivizing the development of life-saving drugs and diagnostics, we can save money and keep people healthy and safe,” Thompson said. “In the last quarter-century we’ve seen antibiotic and antifungal resistance grow while research and development has lagged. This poses a serious threat to public health that must be addressed. Our bipartisan bill tackles this very issue by encouraging the development of new antibiotics and rapid diagnostic tests. The bill will help save lives and money. Congress should quickly pass it.”
Antibiotic resistance is increasing and a growing number of patients are suffering from and succumbing to resistant infections that cannot be effectively treated with existing drugs. The pipeline for new antibiotics and antifungals remains disturbingly low leaving patients and physicians few and sometimes no safe and effective treatment options. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 23,000 Americans will die this year due to antibiotic resistant infections. The economic cost of antibiotic resistance is high as well, costing the U.S. health care system an estimated $20 billion annually, including 8 million additional days that people spend in the hospital.
