Repeated exposure to antibiotics can lead germs to become resistant to the drugs, so that they are no longer effective. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that drug-resistant bacteria cause 23,000 deaths and 2 million illnesses each year in the United States.
The 5 Goals of the White House Plan:
- we’re going to slow the emergance of resistant bacteria and prevent the spread of resistant infections.
- we’re going to improve surveillance. We want to know when its happening and why its happening.
- we’re going to develop better diagnostic tools.
- we’re going to excelerate research into new drugs and
- we’re going to improve global coordination because this is going to end up being a global problem.”