Sponsors (25)
The bill would boost antimicrobial innovation, access, and preparedness—helping patients, hospitals, researchers, and military readiness—but does so at the risk of higher federal spending, potential drug‑price impacts, and added regulatory/allocation complexities.
Patients — especially those with chronic or drug-resistant infections — would gain greater access to effective antimicrobials as the bill promotes R&D and market access.
Hospitals, health systems, and clinicians would get new tools, programs, and guidance to prevent and treat drug-resistant infections, improving patient safety and care quality.
Scientists and researchers would receive federal support that could accelerate development of new antibiotics and diagnostics, speeding innovation.
Taxpayers could face increased federal spending to support antimicrobial R&D, programs, and procurement without clear offsets.
Patients could face higher drug prices if the bill’s provisions favor private firms or do not preserve pricing protections.
Clinicians, hospitals, and state public‑health agencies could incur new regulatory and administrative burdens from expanded programs, procurement, or stewardship requirements.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Adds a new Title III Public Health Service Act provision to promote antimicrobial R&D, market access, stewardship, and preparedness (PASTEUR Act of 2026).
Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a program to develop innovative antimicrobial drugs targeting the most challenging pathogens and most threatening infections, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 4, 2026 by Buddy Carter · Last progress February 4, 2026
Creates a new Public Health Service Act provision called "Developing antimicrobial innovations" (commonly called the PASTEUR Act of 2026) to promote research, development, market access, appropriate use, and health system preparedness for lifesaving antimicrobials. The text in the provided excerpt explains the purpose and inserts the new provision into Title III of the Public Health Service Act, but does not include the program details, funding amounts, or deadlines.