“Controlling the development and spread of antibiotic resistance is a top national security and public health priority for the Obama administration,” said the White House.
The Agriculture and Health departments will co-chair an advisory council that will lead the drive to control antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are associated with 23,000 deaths and 2 million illnesses a year. The council is to provide advice on how to preserve effectiveness of antibiotics, speed the development of point-of-care diagnostics in human and animal healthcare, develop alternatives in agriculture to the use of antibiotics and advance research on new treatments for bacterial infections.
The government also will encourage development of new antibiotics and counter-measures to resistant bacteria.
CNBC quoted John Holdren, the White House science advisor, as saying, “This represents a major elevation of the issue” and it said the Natural Resources Defense Council called for more action to limit antibiotic use on livestock.
To read the FDA “guidance” to industry on antibiotics, click here.