White House unveils strategy to combat antibiotic resistance

September 18, 2014 – The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released a report today calling antibiotic resistance a “threat to the nation” and outlines a plan for the U.S. to improve antibiotics and prevent antibiotic resistance. 

The plan includes incentives for drug development, a $20 million prize to encourage development of diagnostics to cut down on antibiotic misuse and increased surveillance to identify resistance as it develops.  Although the plans calls for continued efforts in reducing antibiotic use in livestock, it does not call for surveillance of drugs used in livestock or the amount used.

The full report can be found here.