Skip to content
Govbase

Policy-Driven News

Govbase
Congress·In Committee

Congress Proposes $6 Billion 'Subscription' Plan to Spark Development of New Lifesaving Antibiotics

PASTEUR Act of 2026

about 1 month ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

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.
HealthcareEconomy Finance

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 4, 2026House

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.

Feb 4, 2026

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 9 months of enactment

Advisory group established and scoring rules developed

The government sets up the expert panel and creates the system to evaluate which new antibiotics qualify for guaranteed payments, laying the groundwork for contracts to begin.

Within 1 year of enactment

Hospital and health facility stewardship grants become available

Rural hospitals, Tribal-serving facilities, and safety-net hospitals can apply for grants to set up or improve programs that track antibiotic use and fight drug-resistant infections.

Related News

4 articles
CIDRAP·25 days ago

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.

C=
Contagion Live·29 days ago

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.

C=
FirstWord Pharma·26 days ago

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.

C+

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

PASTEUR Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 7352
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred 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.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(11)
D: 6R: 5

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.