Groups urge incentives for antibiotic research
February 24, 2012
Posted: February 24, 2012 - 12:00 pm ET
The Infectious Diseases Society of America and a coalition of groups representing patients, providers and others are advocating for the inclusion of economic incentives for antibiotic research and development in the reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act.
The organizations said in a news release that they are contacting members of Congress about the need for economic incentives for the research and development of antibiotics, as well as diagnostic tests.
“The simple fact is we haven't found the right combination of incentives to convince pharmaceutical companies to invest in developing the new antibiotics we desperately need, and PDUFA reauthorization is an opportunity to do so,” said Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust for America's Health, an advocacy organization, in the news release. “Rich or poor, all of us are dependent on the development of effective new antibiotics.”
Some of the groups that signed the Feb. 22 letter (PDF) include the IDSA, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Children's Hospital Association, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and Premier.
The organizations wrote that “a combination of push and pull incentives is needed to sufficiently raise the net present value of antibiotics so that they may compete on a level playing field with other drug categories for companies' R&
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