On Sept. 18, the Obama administration took unprecedented action to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a significant public health problem that claims 23,000 lives and causes 2 million infections in the U.S. each year. The administration released a national strategy and executive order, which were accompanied by a report from the President’s Council of Advisors for Science and Technology (PCAST) and the announcement of a $20 million prize to spur the development of new diagnostics. This is the first administration to address the issue comprehensively by tackling overuse in humans and food animals and calling for innovation to create new drugs.
