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Roskam plan to develop antibiotics to fight 'superbugs' moves in Congress

A plan from U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam intended to spur development for new antibiotics to fight so-called superbugs is advancing in Congress.

The U.S. House approved a proposal from the Wheaton Republican that would change how the federal government reimburses hospitals for their use of certain high-powered antibiotics.

If hospitals don't take a huge financial hit in buying certain expensive drugs, they might buy more. And if hospitals buy more, drug companies will have more of a reason to develop more powerful antibiotics, Roskam says.

"Millions of Americans each year are diagnosed with antibiotic-resistant infections while thousands die as a result - and these alarming numbers will only continue to rise in the coming years if we don't act now," Roskam said in a statement. "To make matters worse, the development of new antibiotics capable of curing fatal infections has stalled over the past three decades."

Roskam's idea was approved as part of a bigger proposal and sent to the U.S. Senate. He touted the support of a number of local doctors.

"To have more antibiotic options in the future, we need to invest in drug development now," Dr. Sarah Sutton, medical director of Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, said in a statement.

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