Antibiotic-resistant bacteria on DoD's radar | Military Times | militarytimes.com: The Pentagon figures prominently in President Obama’s new national plan to fight lethal, antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Under an executive order issued by the White House on Sept. 18, Obama outlined a national strategy to address the growing problem of illness and death caused by germs that can’t be controlled with existing medications.
The order brings together seven Cabinet departments as well as other agencies to implement a five-year plan to address antibiotic overuse and misuse in the U.S., improve health surveillance of infectious diseases and develop new diagnostic tests and medications to treat bacterial infections.
“The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria represents a serious threat to public health and the economy,” Obama wrote. “Detecting, preventing, and controlling antibiotic resistance requires a strategic, coordinated, and sustained effort.”
The secretaries of Defense, Health and Human Services, and Agriculture will serve as co-chairs of a 14-plus-member task force to oversee development and implementation of the plan.
As part of the effort, the Pentagon will maintain a repository of resistant bacteria strains, update procedures for collecting, storing and cataloging germs, and continue its work through the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to develop new antibiotics and research experimental therapies for destroying bacteria.
