AdvaMedDx Welcomes Reintroduction of the PASTEUR Act

AdvaMedDx, the AdvaMed division representing the leading manufacturers of in vitro diagnostic tests, welcomed the reintroduction in the U.S. House of Representatives of the bipartisan Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance (PASTEUR) Act by Reps. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.), Scott Peters (D-Calif.), Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.), Mike Levin (D-Calif.), and Mike Carey (R-Ohio).

“AdvaMedDx welcomes the reintroduction of the PASTEUR Act and appreciates Congress’s recognition of the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance and the critical role diagnostics play in fighting this serious national and global health threat,” said Zach Rothstein, executive director of AdvaMedDx. “The legislation supports the development of rapid diagnostics, which provide quick, actionable results to ensure the right treatment is prescribed for the right infection. Diagnostic test makers work every day to develop innovations that help ensure antibiotics work when patients need them, improve patient outcomes, and avoid wasteful treatments in our health care system. AdvaMedDx urges Congress to enact the PASTEUR Act to protect patients and strengthen our nation’s defenses against antimicrobial resistance.”

The PASTEUR Act would increase the nation’s resilience to infection by strengthening the antibacterial and antifungal development pipeline to ensure clinicians and other medical professionals have the innovative products they need to treat patients and ensuring antimicrobials are used appropriately and informed by diagnostic testing. The PASTEUR Act would also expand the collection of important data on antimicrobial resistance trends, antimicrobial use, and diagnostic test use while supporting the implementation and expansion of antimicrobial stewardship programs in outpatient health care facilities, where a significant amount of antimicrobial prescribing occurs.

A news release on the bill reintroduction with links to the bill text and a summary is available here.