U.S. Representatives Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) and Danny Davis (D-Ill.) have introduced a bill that would encourage companies to develop and use new antimicrobial drugs to treat superbugs, such as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
The bill, the Developing an Innovative Strategy for Antimicrobial Resistant Microoragnisms Act of 2014, proposes to amend the Social Security Act to increase Medicare reimbursements to hospitals that use the new antimicrobial drugs. Additionally, hospitals would be required to report drug-resistant bacterial infections and their treatments to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The representatives held a panel discussion in Chicago on May 15 with infection control specialists on the proposed legislation and the gravity of the situation.
"These are very catchy: MRSA, [vancomycin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae], CRE, [Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Lactamases]. You've likely heard of them, and that's very unfortunate," said Marc Scheetz, PharmD, an infectious disease pharmacist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, at the panel, according to a Chicago Sun-Times report. "It's unfortunate, because we should only be talking about these at medical conferences."
More Articles on Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria:
Enterobacteriaceae Infections Now More Common Than Staph
Fighting Fire With Fire: When an Antibiotic Can Help Fight Antibiotic Resistance
Patient Safety Tool: AHRQ CRE Control and Prevention Toolkit