June 28, 2001

The Honorable Sherrod Brown
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Health
Committee on Energy and Commerce
Room 2438
Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representative Brown:

We write in strong support of your floor amendment to H.R. 2330, the FY 2002 appropriations bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, to provide funding to FDA to continue its work on the problem of antibiotic resistance.

Your amendment will give the FDA needed support for its work on this growing problem, including expanded monitoring of antimicrobial resistance, procedures for monitoring patterns of antimicrobial drug use in several areas; education programs to promote sound and sustainable antimicrobial use; and supporting the development, testing, and approval of new therapeutic drugs, vaccines, and novel therapies.

Approval of your amendment will reduce the threat to human health posed by bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.

Sincerely,

American College of Preventive Medicine
American Lung Association
American Medical Association
American Thoracic Society
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology
Consumer Federation of America
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
Infectious Diseases Society of America
National Association of County and City Health Officials
Society for Public Health Education