PASTEUR Act Reintroduced in Congress

One cannot help but think about the famous Shakespeare line from the play Henry V, “Once more unto the breach, dear friends,” when knowing the Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance (PASTEUR) Act was reintroduced in Congress this week. This is the fourth time the bill has been introduced, and it is currently sponsored by representatives Buddy Carter (R-GA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Nick Langworthy (R-NY), Mike Levin (D-CA) and Mike Carey (R-OH).¹

“Antimicrobial resistance is already costing patients their lives and threatens our ability to provide the modern medical care we all depend on,” IDSA President Ronald G. Nahass, MD, MHCM, FIDSA, said in a statement.¹

The Bill’s Features

The updated bill includes improvements designed to strengthen bipartisan support and momentum in Congress, including a more objective and rigorous process for determining which drugs qualify for federal contracts to ensure the bill delivers new treatments, as well as expanded antimicrobial stewardship provisions that now include outpatient settings. ¹

The legislation looks to improve the pipeline of 2 specific types of antimicrobials—antibiotics and antifungals—by changing how the federal government pays for them. This would shift from payment based on how much of a treatment is sold to payment based on the value it provides to patients and the health care system. With the PASTEUR Act passage, the federal government could enter into subscription-style contracts with pharmaceutical companies, providing fixed annual payments for access to critically needed antimicrobials, regardless of how often they are used. Payments would be tied to a treatment’s impact in 3 areas: major contributions to patient care, innovation, and benefit to health systems and public health.¹

To understand how the subscription-style model works check out this past Contagion interview.

Additionally, the Pasteur Act looks to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship efforts by establishing a grant program to support antimicrobial stewardship programs in rural, critical access and safety net hospitals and long-term care facilities. Recognizing that a significant share of antibiotic use occurs outside hospitals, the legislation includes a pilot program with funding to support outpatient stewardship. ¹

A Brief History of the Pasteur Act

The bill was initially introduced in Congress by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Todd Young (R-IN) in September of 2020. Bennet and Young along with Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Drew Ferguson (R-GA) reintroduced the bill in June 2021. In April 2023, senators Bennet and Young (R-IN) and Ferguson and Scott Peters (D-CA), reintroduced the PASTEUR Act for a third time.²

The bill has seen some momentum in past years having multiple Congressional sponsors and organizations signing on in support of the bill; however, it has not been voted on and signed into law.

A Common Medical Need

One medical thread that ties everyone together is health, and in this case infections, which everyone at one time or another needs medication to treat. From the sinus infection to the more serious Gram-negative infections that require hospitalization to surgical procedures that result in infections, the limited amount of antimicrobials especially antibiotics, and to even a greater degree, antifungals, present treatment issues.

“Common medical procedures such as cancer chemotherapy, organ transplants, cesarean sections, hip and knee replacements and newer treatments that weaken the immune system all carry a risk of serious infection. As our arsenal of antimicrobials continues to shrink, we are increasingly struggling to treat these infections and safely provide this care,” Nahass said. “The PASTEUR Act addresses many of the root causes behind the lack of antimicrobial development.”

Check back for more commentary and news around this topic.

References
1.Newly introduced legislation provides pathway to spur antimicrobial development. IDSA press release. Updated February 4, 2026. Accessed February 5, 2026.
https://www.idsociety.org/news--publications-new/articles/2026/newly-introduced-legislation-provides-pathway-to-spur-antimicrobial-development/

2. Parkinson J. Congress Reintroduces the Pasteur Act. Contagion. May 1, 2023. Accessed February 5, 2026.
https://www.contagionlive.com/view/congress-reintroduces-the-pasteur-act.