WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 16, 2021) – Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Senior Director of Public Affairs Andrew Powaleny made the following statement:

“Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing health crisis resulting in nearly 50,000 U.S. deaths each year. To slow and control continued antimicrobial resistance, we need a robust pipeline of novel products, and at the same time we need to ensure they are used only in a limited set of circumstances and in only the most necessary cases. Without new products, AMR globally could take 10 million lives yearly by 2050 if we fail to address it. Countless modern medical advances that depend on antibiotics—such as routine surgery, cancer therapy and treatment of chronic disease—will be jeopardized by this growing crisis if action is not taken now. 

“A meaningful policy reform introduced today, the Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance (PASTEUR) Act, is a commonsense proposal that will create desperately needed incentives to ensure the availability of critical-need antimicrobial products and encourage the development of new antimicrobial medicines for the future.  
 
“Researching and developing a single new medicine to combat AMR can take anywhere from 10 to more than 20 years through a process that is often fraught with more setbacks than success. The PASTEUR Act is one part of the solution to bolstering our preparedness for the AMR crisis and enhancing health care resiliency to make sure we are stronger, healthier and better prepared for the next public health emergency. 
 
“The biopharmaceutical industry, in collaboration with philanthropies, development banks and multilateral organizations is also working to address this challenge head on through the AMR Action Fund. The fund aims to invest over U.S. $1 billion to support the development of early-stage products, resulting in two to four new antimicrobials to market by 2030, focusing on innovative medicines that address the highest priority public health needs. This industry-driven effort, along with comprehensive policy reforms such as the PASTEUR Act, are needed to advance new reimbursement methodologies and incentives that enable appropriate patient access and create a sustainable and predictable ecosystem for antimicrobial R&D and commercialization.” 
 

Additional Background:

The AMR Action Fund will also provide technical support to emerging companies, giving them access to the deep expertise and resources of large biopharmaceutical companies to strengthen and accelerate the development of novel antimicrobial medicines.

Read PhRMA’s report showing nearly 90 medicines in development to fight drug-resistant infections, but future pipeline remains challenging.

Read about the challenges associated with AMR medicine R&D.

 

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About PhRMA
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. Since 2000, PhRMA member companies have invested more than $1 trillion in the search for new treatments and cures, including an estimated $91.1 billion in 2020 alone.

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