Antibiotic Resistance Costs Report Underscores Need for Investments in Drug Stewardship, Workforce and Development

Six pathogens that are resistant to antibiotics lead to national health care costs exceeding $4.6 billion each year, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Utah.

Showing increasing rates of infections occurring in community settings, as well as high costs associated with infections in hospital settings, the report indicates the need for action in all settings to detect and prevent the spread of resistant infections. The findings underscore urgent needs for investments in new antibiotic development as well as in antimicrobial stewardship in all health care settings. Investments in the infectious diseases workforce are also critically needed to lead antibiotic stewardship as well as antimicrobial resistance responses that include infection prevention, research and care.

The Infectious Diseases Society of America urges the Biden Administration to extend the commitment to science it has demonstrated in leadership against the COVID-19 pandemic and follow the evidence on antibiotic resistance to invest in surveillance, prevention, stewardship and antibiotic research and development.

For more information, see IDSA antimicrobial resistance resources.