Obama Administration Fighting Superbugs

Posted by | September 19, 2014 10:29 | Filed under: Contributors Opinion Politics Stuart Shapiro Top Stories


It is one of the biggest threats to public health in the developed world:

Antibiotic-resistant infections are already linked to 23,000 deaths and 2 million illnesses in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimates of the economic impact vary, but have put the price tag as high as $20 billion in excess direct healthcare costs, and as much as $35 billion in lost productivity from hospitalizations and sick days.

And the problem is worsening, officials said.

Decades after the problem was first identified, the Obama Administration is moving forward (in fairness they have already taken some steps):

President Obama moved via executive action Thursday to quell the rise of deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria blamed for tens of thousands of deaths a year in the United States.

Obama signed an order establishing a new interagency task force and directed its members to deliver a plan by Feb. 15 to combat the threat of so-called “super bugs,” bacteria that have built up a resistance to antibiotics commonly prescribed to people and animals.

Let’s hope it is not too little too late.

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Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Stuart Shapiro

Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.

33 responses to Obama Administration Fighting Superbugs

  1. William September 19th, 2014 at 10:56

    Well he SHOULD, after all it’s his fault anyway.

  2. William September 19th, 2014 at 10:56

    Well he SHOULD, after all it’s his fault anyway.

  3. uzza September 19th, 2014 at 11:32

    It’s here!

  4. uzza September 19th, 2014 at 11:32

    It’s here!

  5. Suzanne McFly September 19th, 2014 at 12:10

    I think Obama created these super bugs to make people sign up for Obama care../s

    • StoneyCurtisll September 21st, 2014 at 12:40

      No..
      It’s just a distraction from “Benghaziii~!
      :)

      • Suzanne McFly September 21st, 2014 at 15:23

        He is a sneaky man, thank God our last POTUS didn’t get away with any distractions.

  6. Suzanne McFly September 19th, 2014 at 12:10

    I think Obama created these super bugs to make people sign up for Obama care../s

    • StoneyCurtisll September 21st, 2014 at 12:40

      No..
      It’s just a distraction from “Benghaziii~!
      :)

      • Suzanne McFly September 21st, 2014 at 15:23

        He is a sneaky man, thank God our last POTUS didn’t get away with any distractions.

  7. tiredoftea September 19th, 2014 at 12:29

    Finally a really good reason to convert to the christian right because they don’t believe in evolution, so the superbugs bugs can’t bother them!

  8. tiredoftea September 19th, 2014 at 12:29

    Finally a really good reason to convert to the christian right because they don’t believe in evolution, so the superbugs bugs can’t bother them!

  9. juicyfruityyy September 19th, 2014 at 12:48

    If we can cut down on the excessive use of antibiotics. Maybe, we can cut down on the antibiotic resistance; and the multiple organ failures that result from the abuse. People are losing their lives.

    • edmeyer_able September 19th, 2014 at 12:58

      Stop eating meat from factory farms.

      • Gindy51 September 19th, 2014 at 14:15

        Perdue just decided to remove antibiotics from their chicken feed for growth and disease control. Think regulations coming down the pike made them do this? I would bet so.

        • rg9rts September 20th, 2014 at 09:02

          You have to wonder why they needed that in the first place??? 6 weeks from egg to frying pan

      • rg9rts September 20th, 2014 at 09:01

        Took the words out of my mouth

        • edmeyer_able September 20th, 2014 at 13:02

          It’s easier for me to stay away from the meat department. As long as I can chase whitetail I’ll be able to keep this vow, I’ll hate the day when I can no longer climb that tree stand. Maybe I’ll go full vegan.

          • rg9rts September 20th, 2014 at 14:35

            Been vegetarian a couple years now..don’t hurt and don’t miss the meat,,,,maybe bacon once in awhile . Its a choice and not for everyone..

  10. juicyfruityyy September 19th, 2014 at 12:48

    If we can cut down on the excessive use of antibiotics. Maybe, we can cut down on the antibiotic resistance; and the multiple organ failures that result from the abuse. People are losing their lives.

    • edmeyer_able September 19th, 2014 at 12:58

      Stop eating meat from factory farms.

      • rg9rts September 20th, 2014 at 09:01

        Took the words out of my mouth

        • edmeyer_able September 20th, 2014 at 13:02

          It’s easier for me to stay away from the meat department. As long as I can chase whitetail I’ll be able to keep this vow, I’ll hate the day when I can no longer climb that tree stand. Maybe I’ll go full vegan.

          • rg9rts September 20th, 2014 at 14:35

            Been vegetarian a couple years now..don’t hurt and don’t miss the meat,,,,maybe bacon once in awhile . Its a choice and not for everyone..

      • rg9rts September 20th, 2014 at 09:02

        You have to wonder why they needed that in the first place??? 6 weeks from egg to frying pan

  11. KB723 September 19th, 2014 at 19:38

    Kinda tired these days of trying to remember who we are Not FIGHTING!!!! Oh wait, the war on Poverty….. Carry On….

    • rg9rts September 20th, 2014 at 09:00

      Immigrants..women…the young..the old..needy..educated…poor..uneducated..children.. the ill.. minorities……anyone that isn’t a rich old white man

  12. KB723 September 19th, 2014 at 19:38

    Kinda tired these days of trying to remember who we are Not FIGHTING!!!! Oh wait, the war on Poverty….. Carry On….

    • rg9rts September 20th, 2014 at 09:00

      Immigrants..women…the young..the old..needy..educated…poor..uneducated..children.. the ill.. minorities……anyone that isn’t a rich old white man

  13. rg9rts September 20th, 2014 at 08:57

    Like most things in this world…we are reactive not proactive probably because we have to get off our dead asses and change something.

  14. rg9rts September 20th, 2014 at 08:57

    Like most things in this world…we are reactive not proactive probably because we have to get off our dead asses and change something.

  15. StoneyCurtisll September 21st, 2014 at 12:38

    The outrage du jour from the right wing….
    “Obama sends 3,000 (boots on the ground) to Liberia to fight Ebola”..
    But no ‘boots on the ground” to fight ISIL…
    Is there nothing they will not complain about?
    Or twist and contort for their agenda.

  16. StoneyCurtisll September 21st, 2014 at 12:38

    The outrage du jour from the right wing….
    “Obama sends 3,000 (boots on the ground) to Liberia to fight Ebola”..
    But no ‘boots on the ground” to fight ISIL…
    Is there nothing they will not complain about?
    Or twist and contort for their agenda.

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