Featured Issue Briefs
The Battle on the Home Front: Jonathan Gadsden's Story
Marine Lance Corporal's story reflects the growing need for new antibiotics that can treat dangerous diseases, against which most drugs are useless. Read More
Facilitating Medical Device Innovation: De Novo Reform
The de novo process -- which requests lower-risk reclassification of medical devices and entry into the marketplace -- as it exists now is not achieving its purpose and has instead added unnecessary and time-consuming requirements. Read More
Food Products Recalled by FDA
Since President Obama signed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act into law, at least 149 FDA-regulated food products have been recalled due to potential pathogenic contamination. Read More
More Issue Briefs
| Date | Issue Briefs | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| May 9, 2013 |
Pew Testimony on the Safety of Compounding PharmaciesThe U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing on May 9 entitled "Pharmaceutical Compounding: Proposed Legislative Solution." Pew's Allan Coukell, a pharmacist and drug safety expert, testified on the need to strengthen oversight of the compounding industry. More info |
|
| Apr 9, 2013 |
Pew Comments on Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services' Information Collection Activities Draft GuidanceThe Pew Charitable Trusts appreciates this opportunity to submit comments to CMS's "Information Collection Activities" draft guidance. We suggest that both the research and non-research payment templates be modified in order to make it easier for consumers to identify which drugs, devices, biologicals, or medical supplies are associated with particular transfers of value. More info |
|
| Apr 4, 2013 |
Pew Comments on Draft Recommendations for Meaningful Use, Stage 3The Pew Charitable Trusts submitted comments on preliminary recommendations regarding Stage 3 meaningful use objectives and standards for electronic health records (EHRs) to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. These comments follow remarks at recent meetings of the Health Information Technology (HIT) Policy Committee and HIT Standards Committee. More info |
|
| Mar 20, 2013 |
Washington Food Leaders Urge Sen. Murray to Shine a Light on Industrial Farms' Antibiotic UseSixteen of Washington state’s most celebrated chefs, farmers, and other food leaders wrote a letter to Senator Patty Murray, member of the Senate HELP Committee, asking to reauthorize the Animal Drug User Fee Act and include in it provisions to help preserve the efficacy of antibiotics vital to protecting public health. More info |
|
| Mar 15, 2013 |
Groups Urge Obama to Take Action Against Drug-Resistant BacteriaPew and 46 other public health, medical, environmental and consumer leaders urged President Obama to take swifter action to protect the public from drug-resistant bacteria. In a joint letter, they call on his administration to eliminate industrial farms’ non-therapeutic use of medically important antibiotics and to support legislation that requires the Food and Drug Administration to shine more light on farming practices that are breeding superbugs. More info |
|
| Oct 22, 2012 |
Pew's Comment Letter on FDA’s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Data CollectionOn behalf of The Pew Charitable Trusts (Pew), we are writing to urge the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strengthen regulations pertaining to record-keeping and public reporting of antibiotic use in food animal production. More info |
|
| Feb 22, 2012 |
Recommendations to the FDA Regarding the Use of Antibiotics in Food Animal ProductionIt is estimated that up to 70 percent of antibiotics sold in the U.S. are used on industrial farms in healthy food animals, to promote growth and to compensate for the effects of overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. This practice promotes the development of deadly strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can spread to humans. More info |
|
| Jun 26, 2013 |
Drug Development for Limited Populations: A New Proposed PathwayThe lack of new antibiotics and the rise in drug resistance have rendered some serious and life-threatening infections untreatable, and the health care community is searching for ways to bring innovative new drugs to patients whose treatment options are limited or nonexistent. More info |
Antibiotic Innovation |
| Aug 16, 2012 |
The Battle on the Home Front: The Jonathan Gadsden StorySince Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom began, many American servicemen and women have been infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. While our men and women in uniform increasingly survive severe wounds sustained in combat, their injuries leave them susceptible to life-threatening, hard-to-treat infections. Marine Lance Corporal Jonathan Gadsden’s story reflects the growing need for new antibiotics that can treat these dangerous diseases, against which most drugs are useless. More info |
Antibiotic Innovation |
| May 31, 2012 |
Unmet Medical Need in Infectious DiseasesIntroduced more than 75 years ago, antibiotics have profoundly transformed health care. Thanks to these drugs and to advances in vaccines and infection control, many formerly devastating bacterial illnesses can be cured or contained. More info |
Antibiotic Innovation |
| Mar 1, 2012 |
MRSA on the Appalachian Trail: The Story of Steve WeiselHiking the Appalachian Trail, Steve Weisel thought little of the blisters on his feet until he discovered they were infected with life-threatening methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) -- an increasingly common "superbug" that does not respond to first-line antibiotics. Mr. Weisel's story demonstrates the urgent need for new and innovative therapies to treat this growing threat. More info |
Antibiotic Innovation |
| Mar 1, 2012 |
The Threat of Multidrug-Resistant Infections to ChildrenExpert testimony, research, and commentary More info |
Antibiotic Innovation |
| Mar 1, 2012 |
When Multiple Bugs Strike: The Story of Alice BrennanA healthy immune system may be all the protection someone needs to overcome a bacterial infection, but once one disease takes hold, it may beget more illnesses. Such is often the case with Clostridium difficile, a potentially deadly bacterium that can flourish in the wake of other infections. Senior citizens, such as Alice Brennan, are particularly vulnerable and serve as a reminder that new and powerful antibiotics are needed as protection from dangerous bacterial threats. More info |
Antibiotic Innovation |
| Mar 1, 2012 |
The Superbug ThreatAs Drug-resistant bacteria spread, the pipeline for antibiotics is drying up More info |
Antibiotic Innovation |
| Mar 1, 2012 |
The Threat of Multidrug-Resistant Infections to the U.S. MilitaryExpert Testimony, Research, and Commentary Learn More “MDRO multidrug resistant organism infections have become an international health problem during the past several decades and now pose a challenge to the care of our wounded military personnel.” — D. Hospenthal More info |
Antibiotic Innovation |
