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President wants a plan to deal with antibiotic resistance

President Obama signed an executive order Thursday to have the federal government develop a plan to deal with antibiotic resistant bacteria.  It establishes an interagency Task Force and a Presidential Advisory Council charged with monitoring resistant infections, improving regulation of antibiotic use and developing new methods to combat antibiotic resistance.

The Task Force is to develop a five-year plan of action which includes goals, milestones and assessments of progress.  The plan also seeks to improve international collaboration on the issue through the World Health Organization.  The Task Force will be co-chaired by the Secretaries of Defense, Agriculture and Health and Human Services.

The Presidential Advisory Council will be made up of non-governmental experts selected by the Secretary of HHS in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says antibiotic-resistant infections cause an estimated 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths each year in the United States.

 

National Pork Producers Council president Howard Hill welcomed the government’s commitment saying he “is pleased that the administration agrees that more research is needed and looks forward to working further with FDA and USDA on determining the most informed and appropriate solutions for combating antibiotic resistant bacteria.”

American Farm Bureau president Bob Stallman stated: “We encourage those developing a strategy on this issue with the goal of protecting our nation’s farms and the American people to continue a dialogue with farmers and ranchers in order to ensure a successful outcome.”

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president-elect Philip Ellis says he “was pleased that the President’s council recognized that combating resistance will require efforts in human healthcare, drug development and surveillance, in addition to animal agriculture.”

Read the Executive Order here:

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