PASTEUR Act of 2026
Congress Proposes $6 Billion 'Subscription' Plan to Spark Development of New Lifesaving Antibiotics
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- Congress is proposing a new 'subscription' model for the government to buy lifesaving medicines. Instead of paying per pill, the government would pay drug companies a set annual fee between $75 million and $300 million for access to new antibiotics and antifungals that treat dangerous, drug-resistant infections.
- This policy aims to solve a major problem: because new antibiotics are often saved for the sickest patients to prevent germs from becoming resistant, they aren't profitable for companies to make. The guaranteed payments encourage companies to keep researching and producing these critical drugs even if they aren't sold in high volumes.
- Drug companies that receive these 10-year contracts must follow strict rules. They have to ensure a steady supply of the medicine, track how well it works against new 'superbugs,' and create education plans to make sure doctors use the drugs correctly so they remain effective for a long time.
- The bill includes $6 billion in funding to pay for these contracts and to help hospitals and clinics improve how they use antibiotics. Special grants would be prioritized for rural hospitals and those serving Tribal populations to help them set up programs that track and prevent the spread of drug-resistant germs.
- To better protect the public, the policy requires the government to improve how it tracks 'superbugs' across the country. It would collect data from pharmacies and hospitals to create an annual public report on where drug-resistant infections are spreading and which treatments are still working.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
The bill's stated purpose includes defending the United States and its military, and the Department of Defense is named as a data-collection partner. Active-duty service members, who may face drug-resistant infections from battlefield wounds or deployments to regions with high antimicrobial resistance, would benefit from a reliable supply of novel antibiotics.
Programs
Disabilities
Milestones
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
4 articles
Updated PASTEUR Act reintroduced in Congress to boost antibiotic development
A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers reintroduced the PASTEUR Act, aiming to revitalize the antibiotic pipeline via a subscription-style model. The bill offers fixed annual payments of $75M to $300M to developers, delinking profit from sales volume to encourage innovation against superbugs.
PASTEUR Act Reintroduced in Congress
The 2026 version of the PASTEUR Act includes new rigorous scoring for federal contracts and expanded stewardship provisions for outpatient settings. The bill seeks to fix the 'broken' antibiotic market by providing predictable government payments for access to critical new antimicrobials.
BIO Statement on Reintroduction of the PASTEUR Act
Industry leaders praised the reintroduction of the PASTEUR Act of 2026 as a vital step in repairing the antimicrobial marketplace. The legislation is seen as a critical 'pull incentive' that enables a business model centered on the appropriate use of novel treatments rather than high sales volume.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
PASTEUR Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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