Pew Charitable Trust: New Bill Aims to Jump-Start Development of Urgently Needed Antibiotics
Wes Kim, senior officer for the Antibiotic Resistance Project, discusses the Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Up Surging Resistance Act of 2020, also known as the PASTEUR Act, which was introduced in the Senate at the end of September and “aims to jump-start the development of urgently needed new antibiotics, specifically those that can address unmet patient needs, by changing the way the U.S. government pays for them.” Kim notes, “Passage of the PASTEUR Act would be a major step toward reinvigorating innovation in development of urgently needed new antibiotics. The legislation offers policymakers a clear path to ensure that the U.S. has access to effective antibiotics, and Pew urges Congress to pass it as soon as possible” (11/11).