Americans need new antibiotics

Just one month into her life, my daughter, Elsie, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a disease that causes the body to produce thick, sticky mucus in the lungs. That mucus becomes a perfect breeding ground for difficult-to-treat infections and “superbugs” like MRSA or pseudomonas, which are resistant to current antibiotics.

By 6 months of age, Elsie was already reeling from infections. Consequently, over the next four years, she was often subject to hours of daily respiratory treatments. Elsie started her life with the burden of an infection — but it doesn’t have to continue with one.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is not only a concern for people with cystic fibrosis; 2.8 million Americans acquire a bacteria-resistant infection each year, and 30,000 Americans die annually as a result.

As we barrel into another election season filled with promises and aspirations, I urge Sen. Jacky Rosen to support a bill that could save lives. AMR is accelerating quickly, and current antibiotics are ineffective against many infections.

For various reasons, including high research costs and low financial returns, pharmaceutical companies have largely abandoned the field of antibiotic research. Congress must prioritize and address AMR by passing the PASTEUR Act to jump-start the development of urgently needed new antibiotics.

The bipartisan PASTEUR Act would help bring needed antibiotics to market and into the hands of those who need them most.