After countless reports of CRE outbreaks across the Obama administration has made fighting this antibiotic resistant bacteria a national security priority. U.S. Lawmaker Ted Lieu has urged congress to launch an investigation into the action being taken by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent the superbug from spreading to more and more patients. Lieu has also requested that the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hold a hearing on the issue as this committee oversees the activities of the FDA.
The FDA has recently released a notice regarding the infection outbreak, however there are reports that the FDA has been aware of CRE contaminated duodenoscopes and the associated risks for years. Dr. John Allen, President of the American Gastroenterological Association states that the FDA has been aware of the superbug since at least 1987. It's unclear why the FDA didn't take immediate action despite receiving dozens of reports of contaminated duodenoscopes each year. They state that there was no convincing evidence of duodenoscopes being the cause of these infections until 2013 and they wanted to fully understand the issue prior to releasing a statement.
Both patients and doctors alike are hoping for a solution soon. Dr. Bret Peterson, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic and lead author of the 2011 guidelines from the medical societies thinks that it will take a redesign of the scope to solve the problem, or new sterilization technology.
For more information on Lieu's letter to congress click here...
CNN Article - Scope superbug: How long did the FDA Know about problem?
The FDA has recently released a notice regarding the infection outbreak, however there are reports that the FDA has been aware of CRE contaminated duodenoscopes and the associated risks for years. Dr. John Allen, President of the American Gastroenterological Association states that the FDA has been aware of the superbug since at least 1987. It's unclear why the FDA didn't take immediate action despite receiving dozens of reports of contaminated duodenoscopes each year. They state that there was no convincing evidence of duodenoscopes being the cause of these infections until 2013 and they wanted to fully understand the issue prior to releasing a statement.
Both patients and doctors alike are hoping for a solution soon. Dr. Bret Peterson, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic and lead author of the 2011 guidelines from the medical societies thinks that it will take a redesign of the scope to solve the problem, or new sterilization technology.
For more information on Lieu's letter to congress click here...
CNN Article - Scope superbug: How long did the FDA Know about problem?
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