What CDC is Doing: Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Solutions Initiative

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A Leader in the Fight

Antibiotic resistance has the potential to impact all Americans at every stage of life. CDC is a leader in the fight against this global threat. Through its AR Solutions Initiative, CDC works with partners to drive aggressive action and empower the nation to comprehensively respond.

The AR Solutions Initiative: Investing in the Nation

CDC’s AR Solutions Initiative invests in national infrastructure to detect, respond, contain, and prevent resistant infections across healthcare settings, food, and communities. CDC funding supports all 50 state health departments, six local health departments, and Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Through these investments, CDC is transforming how the nation and world combat and slow antibiotic resistance at all levels.

Find the latest CDC antibiotic resistance activities by state on the AR Investment Map.

Detect, Respond, and Contain Resistant Pathogens

Laboratory and Diagnostics: Gold-standard lab capacity offered to all U.S. state and regional labs through CDC’s AR Laboratory Network, and on-the-ground lab expertise and assistance in some countries abroad
Epidemiology Capacity for Response: Increased capacity in state and local health departments and some countries for rapid detection and faster response to outbreaks and emerging resistance related to healthcare-associated infections, foodborne bacteria, and gonorrhea—to contain and control spread

Prevent Spread of Resistant Infections

Surveillance and Science: More effective tracking and prevention of healthcare-associated infections, foodborne illness, tuberculosis, and gonorrhea
Improved Antibiotic Use: Improving antibiotic use to ensure antibiotics are available and work to protect people from life-threatening infections or sepsis

Encourage Innovation for New Strategies, Drugs, and Diagnostics

Insights for Practice: Innovations and collaborations with academic and healthcare partners to identify and implement new ways to prevent antibiotic-resistant infections and their spread in the U.S. and abroad
Research and Development: Sharing isolates that inform development of new drugs and diagnostics, and making public CDC’s sequencing data from antibiotic-resistant pathogens (germs) to spur innovation in industry

This work is done in partnership with state and local public health departments, academia, and healthcare partners. CDC supports most of these activities through its AR Solutions Initiative, and leverages investments from successful programs across the agency for maximum efficiency.

Learn more about what CDC is doing to combat antibiotic resistance:

Meeting National Goals

CDC’s response to antibiotic resistance implements activities outlined in the U.S. National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. In fiscal year 2016, Congress appropriated an unprecedented $160 million of new investments for CDC to fight antibiotic resistance. With these investments, CDC implemented the AR Solutions Initiative to work toward meeting the national goals. This appropriation increased to $163 million in fiscal year 2017, and $168 million in fiscal year 2018.