US Pharm
. 2014;39(10):7.

Washington, DC—The Obama administration has announced a comprehensive set of new federal actions to combat the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and protect public health. The executive order establishes a new interagency Task Force and Federal Advisory Council and includes calls for better monitoring of resistant infections, improved regulations governing antibiotic use, more robust research to develop new and effective methods for combating antibiotic resistance, and increased international cooperation to curb the global rise in resistant bacteria. The White House also announced a $20 million prize to facilitate the development of a rapid diagnostic test to be used by healthcare providers to identify highly resistant bacterial infections at the point of patient care.

To comment on this article, contact rdavidson@uspharmacist.com.