UPDATE: The full plan is available here.
Dive Brief:
- The White House is expected to release a broad, aggressive five-year plan to address rising concerns about the increase in deadly, antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" and potentially control the spread by 2020. However, according to some scientists and lawmakers, the plan isn't strong enough to make significant progress, reports Politico.
- The plan includes "massive investments and policy changes from a broad array of U.S. government health agencies," Reuters reports.
- Critics of the upcoming plan are not pleased partially due to it being "too lenient" on antibiotic use in farms, reports Politico.
Dive Insight:
According to Reuters, "The goals include drastically reducing the rates of the most deadly 'superbug' infections within five years, investing in new diagnostic tools and antibiotic drugs, and improving antibiotic use. Other tactics include surveillance and prescribing practices in livestock and hospitals and increasing international collaboration through foreign ministries of health and the World Health Organization."
This comes following a recent move in Congress by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY), who reintroduced legislation, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA), to restrict eight classes of antibiotics for medical use only rather than for general use on livestock.