Is the PASTEUR Act the Correct Way to Tackle Antibiotic Resistance?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the global concern of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with 6.22 million deaths in 2019 alone. To address this crisis, WHO proposed 40 priority actions, including better policies and legislation on healthcare financing and novel antibiotics development. The Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance (PASTEUR) Act, introduced in 2019, provides financial support for researchers and pharmaceutical firms to develop novel antibiotics and ensure their fair use and distribution to patients. The program, based on a subscription model, would pay pharmaceutical companies to provide FDA-approved antibiotics at reduced or no cost to patients on federal insurance plans. However, some stakeholders argue that PASTEUR would exacerbate the AMR crisis, with concerns about incentivizing companies, equity issues, and a cap on nonantibiotic medication sales. Critics also argue that PASTEUR does not address the ease with which the FDA approves new antibiotics, which can improve treatment. Despite ongoing debate, efforts to pass the bill continue, with suggestions for improvements such as an independent regulatory board overseeing priority pathogens.