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White House issues antibiotic plan to fight superbugs

By Amy R. Connolly
Scanning electron micrograph of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and a dead human neutrophil. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Scanning electron micrograph of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and a dead human neutrophil. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

WASHINGTON, March 28 (UPI) -- The White House unveiled an initiative Friday to combat the growing problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, with a series of measures that will crack down on over-use and over-prescription of antibiotics at farms and hospitals.

The five-year, $1.2 billion plan is aimed at quelling drug resistance, responsible for an estimated 23,000 deaths and two million illnesses a year in the United States. In part, the Obama administration's plan calls for ending the widespread use of antibiotics in animals raised for food, which is partially to blame for the growing U.S. antibiotic resistance.

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Health officials hope the plan will slow the spread of so-called "superbugs" that include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and CRE, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.

"The emergence of drug resistance in bacteria is undermining the effectiveness of current antibiotics and our ability to treat and prevent disease," the White House said. "Antibiotic resistance also limits our ability to perform a range of modern medical procedures, such as chemotherapy, surgery, and organ transplants."

Among the strategies being proposed for the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria include the following:

-- Tapering antibiotic misuse: This includes improving physician and veterinarian prescription practices and prohibiting the use of certain antibiotics in livestock by the end of 2016.

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-- Boost monitoring: The government will establish regional laboratories for bacteria testing, and hospitals getting Medicare funding will be required to submit data on the use of antibiotics.

-- Replacing antibiotics: With a focus on developing new antibiotics, the government says it can replace those that are no longer effective.

-- Data sharing: By boosting information sharing with developed and developing countries, the administration hopes to create global outreach.

"It is the boldest move against antibiotic resistance by any U.S. administration ever," Kevin Outterson, a Boston University law professor, researcher and author on antibiotic resistance, told The Wall Street Journal.

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