ADVOCACY RESOURCES
VACCINES: PROTECTING HEALTH AND PROMOTING INNOVATION
Vaccines are an important tool to prevent the spread of harmful diseases and keep us, our loved ones, and our communities healthy. Getting a vaccine is like installing anti-virus software on your computer to catch and shutdown viruses before they can cause problems.
As with any medical decision, gathering the facts, understanding the science, and weighing the benefits and risks are critical:
Talk to your doctor, your child’s pediatrician, or another trusted healthcare provider (e.g., your pharmacists) who knows you.
Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website
Consult independent experts on infectious diseases at the Infectious Diseases Society of America
Policymakers can help keep Americans protected and healthy by sharing trusted resources with their constituents and supporting access to FDA-approved vaccines.
ADDRESSING THE SURGE OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections threaten U.S. healthcare – yet new treatments remain in short supply. To address this urgent crisis, we must create a sustainable ecosystem and marketplace for antimicrobial R&D by changing the way antibiotics are prescribed, accessed, consumed, monitored, and paid for.
Two key challenges drive the shortage of new antimicrobial products:
Scientific and Development Hurdles
Creating novel treatments for AMR infections is highly complex and risky.
Market Failure
The commercial model for new antimicrobials is unsustainable, deterring investment.
Everyone can make a difference – from patients taking their full course of their medicines, to physicians using diagnostics and following clinical prescribing guidelines, to insurers removing access barriers, to policymakers shaping an environment that fuels development of new antimicrobial medicines.
America’s policies should:
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Establish strong financial incentives to drive antimicrobial innovation
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Implement payment and reimbursement reforms to stabilize the market.
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Remove barriers to patient access for essential medicines.