Allergan and CDC to raise awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance

Allergan has joined forces with CDC to spread the word about Antibiotic Stewardship During “Get Smart About Antibiotics Week.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antibiotic resistance is one of the world’s most pressing public health threats, it was been said in Allergan’s press release issued on Tuesday.

According to the press release, more than two million people in the United States alone get infections that are resistant to antibiotics every year – and at least 23,000 people die as a result.

“As a leading, global specialty pharmaceutical company committed to infectious disease treatment and innovation, Allergan is pleased to join with the CDC during ‘Get Smart About Antibiotics Week’ to raise awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use,” the company’s statement reads.

Gavin R. Corcoran, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Allergan says that antibiotic stewardship is critical to protecting the antibiotics the company currently has to treat these serious, drug-resistant infections, as well as preventing the additional spread of these pathogens.

“It is important for healthcare providers to engage in appropriate antibiotic stewardship practices, such as avoiding unnecessary antibiotic use; being aware of antibiotic resistance patterns in our communities; and stopping the spread of these organisms in hospitals and communities through effective infection control measures,” Corcoran says.

“To help support awareness efforts this week, Allergan will distribute copies of the CDC’s materials to 29,000 healthcare practitioners across the United States, including nearly 8,000 infectious disease specialists,” he concluded.