From the Article:
The FDA’s response to the growing threat of antibiotic resistance is so inadequate that it makes sister agencies dealing with climate, financial instability, and trade challenges look all-powerful. The FDA’s inability to tackle the profligate and destructive use of a vital medical technology reflects a larger failure of international leadership to preserve the life-saving potential of antibiotics for the next generation.
Bacteria remain significant causes of illness and death: In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported nearly 19,000 cases of pertussis and 17,000 cases of streptococcal pneumonia in the U.S. But antibiotics have transformed the battle against bacteria and saved millions of lives since penicillin was first used to treat infected wounds in World War II.
The threat of antibiotic resistance extends beyond the U.S. This is a global health emergency. Because of the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, common antibiotics are increasingly ineffective against them. Today, the original wonder-drug penicillin only treats from one-quarter to two-thirds of strains of pneumonia present worldwide. And the CDC suggests that 15 infections, including MRSA and some strains of tuberculosis, are resistant to multiple antibiotics.
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