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APUA
Legislative Developments
H1N1 Pandemic Precautions for Front Line Workers
In Memoriam: Edward Kennedy
Senator Kennedy understood the need to preserve the power of antibiotics through more encouraging more prudent antibiotic use. When the anthrax attacks happened in 2001, Senator wrote us:” Without effective antibiotics, the attacks would have claimed more innocent lives.” The Senator then suggested a strategy to move the drug resistance issue to the top of the nation’s Congressional agenda where it belonged. To get Congress’ attention, he told us to: “Put a dollar sign on it!”
Another key strategy which accounted for Senator Kennedy’s legislative
Success was the art of engaging those on both sides of the aisle to move health legislation forward. He called APUA to testify at the first bipartisan Congressional Hearing focused on drug resistance with republican Senator Bill Frist.
He was a strong champion of the need to improve antibiotic use both in human medicine and in food animal production. APUA will sorely miss his championing but will long remember the legislative strategies he advised. In fact, APUA is engaged in studies to evaluate the cost implications of drug resistance in US hospitals. A study scheduled to be published in Clinical Infectious Diseases in October,2009 will delineate the hospital costs of antibiotic resistant infections.
Hopefully these studies will gain the attention of healthcare providers, administrators and payers to engage in appropriate drug resistance interventions to prevent and control resistant infections. We are grateful to the Senator for his healthcare advocacy and championing the cause of prudent use of antibiotics to ensure effective infectious disease treatments for generations to come.
05/15/2009:
Given the magnitude of antimicrobial resistance problem, APUA feels strongly that the government should pay more attention to the issue through policy changes and increased research funding. APUA submitted a letter to President Obama requesting an allocation of additional funds that could help combat bacterial infections in resource poor countries. APUA asked the President for his assistance in the appropriate distribution of funds for diagnosis, treatment and improvement of laboratory techniques to fight pneumonia. APUA is currently engaged in this endeavor in the U.S. and countries such as Zambia and Uganda that are in dire need of additional research, education and project funding. See Full Letter.
05/14/2009:
APUA Vice-president Thomas O’Brien testified before Congressman Lynch and his Committee on issues surrounding the H1N1 (Swine Flu) outbreak. APUA drew on historical lessons of the 1918 influenza pandemic in order to alert the legislators of possible forthcoming challenges, in particular, the potential for life-threatening secondary infections. APUA also called on responsible use of antibiotics by every sector involved. H1N1 pandemic emphasizes the need for a robust international surveillance system. APUA has also urged Congressman Lynch to help see the STAAR Act through to passing. See Full Testimony.
The Gentamicin
Letter was written to various members of the EPA as
well as other governmental agencies to register APUA's
protest about the use of gentamicin as a pesticide on
apples in Michigan. 6/24/2008 APUA
submits a statement of support at the Senate hearing: "Emergence
of the Superbug: Antimicrobial Resistance in the U.S." Read
APUA's statement.
6/24/2008 APUA
issues a Press Release in conjunction with Senate hearing: "Emergence
of the Superbug: Antimicrobial Resistance in the U.S." Read
APUA's Press Release.
6/18/2008 APUA
submits a statement for consideration at the National Biodefense
Science Board meeting, June 18-20, 2008. Read
APUA's statement.
"4/29/08: APUA issues
a Press Release responding to the Pew Commission on Industrial
Farm Animal Production (PCIFAP)'s report and commending legislative
leadership in containing antibiotic resistance". Read
APUA's Press Release 4/29/08.
APUA submits a written
testimony for the FDA hearing on antimicrobial resistance 4/28/2008
[Docket No. FDA-2008-N-0225]". Read
APUA's testimony.
FAAIR
I Report: "Antibiotics in Agriculture" The Need to Improve Antimicrobial
Use in Agriculture: Ecological and Human Health Effects
For more information see APUA
Faair Report.
Introduction
by Michael Barza, Sherwood Gorbach, and Stephen J. DeVincent
Select
Findings and Conclusions by FAAIR Scientific Advisory Panel
Policy
Recommendations by FAAIR Scientific Advisory Panel
Executive
Summary: Select Findings, Conclusions, and Policy Recommendations
by The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics
FAAIR
II Report: "Animal Antimicrobial Use Data Collection in the United
States: Methodological Options."
This project focuses on obtaining improved antibiotic usage estimates
in US food animal production to guide regulatory decision-making.
FAAIR II involves collaboration with an expert panel composed
of representatives from academia, food producer organizations,
public interest groups, veterinary professional associations,
public health agencies, and the pharmaceutical industry. Both
FAAIR and FAAIR II were supported by The Joyce Foundation.
Introduction
Deliberations
2005
Report of the Global Advisory on Antibiotic Resistance Data (GAARD): "Global Antimicrobial Resistance Alerts and Implications"
published as a Supplement (2005;41) to Clinical Infectious
Diseases, a publication of the University Chicago Press
For more information see APUA
GAARD Press Releases.
APUA Participates in NARMS
Public Meeting
On April 10, 2007, Research Director Michael Feldgarden was an
invited public speaker at the FDA Science Board Advisory Committee
Subcommittee which provides advice to the National Antimicrobial
Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) where he conveyed APUA's
strong support for NARMS.
Cefquinome:
when Regulation Collides with Biology by Michael Feldgarden
Request
for Oral Presentation for FDA/CVM Public Meeting
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