{"id":10149,"date":"2015-06-27T12:00:11","date_gmt":"2015-06-27T17:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/?p=10149"},"modified":"2015-06-27T01:15:08","modified_gmt":"2015-06-27T06:15:08","slug":"consumer-reports-says-antibiotic-resistant-superbugs-are-the-health-crisis-of-this-generation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/2015\/06\/27\/consumer-reports-says-antibiotic-resistant-superbugs-are-the-health-crisis-of-this-generation\/","title":{"rendered":"Consumer Reports says Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs are the Health Crisis of This Generation"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ConsumerYonkers, NY<\/strong> – Decades of inaction to curb the overuse of life-saving antibiotics by physicians, dentists, patients, and farmers has created hard-to-treat \u201csuperbugs\u201d that are spreading and growing stronger, with dire consequences, according to Consumer Reports, the world\u2019s largest and most trusted nonprofit consumer organization.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that the unrestrained use of antibiotics sickens at least 2.25 million Americans each year and kills another 37,000 people.<\/p>\n

\"New<\/a>

New report investigates the rise of the superbug and offers advice on immediate actions to thwart the spread; CR survey reveals 41 percent of Americans unaware of antibiotic resistance.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Superbugs<\/h3>\n

\u201cThe Rise of Superbugs\u201d is featured on ConsumerReports.org\/superbugs <\/a>and in the August issue of Consumer Reports magazine and is the first report in a three-part investigative series focused on America\u2019s antibiotic crisis.<\/p>\n

This introductory piece explains how the overuse and misuse of antibiotics is leading to the strengthening and spread of dangerous infections that are becoming resistant to these drugs. For example, resistant bacteria like MRSA were once confined to hospitals, but have now spread to otherwise healthy people in the community.<\/p>\n

The remaining installments will examine the presence of superbugs in America\u2019s hospitals and the role antibiotics play in the U.S. meat supply.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe emergence of antibiotic-resistant superbugs is a major threat to the health and well-being of millions of Americans,\u201d said Lisa Gill, prescription drugs editor, Consumer Reports. \u201cThe problem is fixable, but we must act quickly and work together to change our behaviors to preserve the effectiveness of these life-saving drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n

A new nationally representative survey from Consumer Reports shows poor awareness among Americans about antibiotic resistance and widespread misinformation about its causes, with 41 percent of adults saying they are unaware of antibiotic resistance.<\/p>\n

In addition, the overuse of antibiotics can kill \u201cgood\u201d bacteria, leaving people susceptible to other difficult-to-treat bacterial infections, like C. difficile.<\/p>\n

Officials from the CDC, World Health Organization, and European Union have all sounded the alarm, calling the rise of resistant bacteria one of the world\u2019s most serious health crises.<\/p>\n

Consumer Reports says the crisis is compounded because the pipeline for new antibiotics has slowed to a trickle, with many broad-spectrum antibiotics introduced some 30 years ago. \u201cWe absolutely need new antibiotics,\u201d said Lisa McGiffert, director of Consumer Reports\u2019 Safe Patient Project. \u201cBut we have to make sure that we don\u2019t lower the bar on standards for drug approval and that all new antibiotics have met pre-market assessments for safety and efficacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Consumer Reports recommends specific steps for reducing the use of antibiotics and curbing the development of drug-resistant bacteria, including:<\/p>\n