GOJO US: White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship

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GOJO Antibiotic Stewardship Commitments

This effort directly aligns with the GOJO Purpose of Saving Lives and Making Life Better Through Well-Being Solutions, and is why GOJO has pledged its support.

View the GOJO Action Plan in This Release

White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship

GOJO was among 150 major companies and human and animal health organizations and stakeholders at the White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship

On June 2, 2015, the White House held a Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship to announce commitments by more than 150 organizations, over the next five years to slow the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, detect resistant strains, preserve the efficacy of our existing antibiotics, and prevent the spread of resistant infections.

"A primary prevention approach to reduce the need for antibiotics is effective hand hygiene,” said Joe Kanfer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GOJO, who attended the Forum on Tuesday, June 2. “As we know, hand hygiene is one of the best measures you can take to prevent the spread of illness-causing germs. Staying healthy and preventing infections from happening is a very effective way to reduce the use of antibiotics. This is why practicing good hand hygiene – handwashing and hand sanitizing – is so important to overcoming the challenge of antibiotic resistance. We look forward to working with other organizations that share this dedication to improving public health."

National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Stewardship

Last year, President Obama signed an Executive Order launching Federal efforts to combat the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The Administration also issued its National Strategy on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, which outlines steps the U.S. government will take to improve prevention, detection, and control of resistant pathogens. Earlier this year, the White House released its National Action Plan to Combat

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, a comprehensive effort that identifies critical actions to be taken by government over the next five years. In addition, the President’s FY 2016 Budget proposed nearly doubling the amount of Federal funding for combating and preventing antibiotic resistance to more than $1.2 billion.

View the White House National Action Plan

Antibiotic Resistance - A Growing Concern

Each year in the United States alone, approximately two million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die each year as a direct result of these types of infections. Plus, many more people die from other conditions that were complicated by an antibiotic-resistant infection. In addition, antibiotic-resistant infections have been estimated to cost the US healthcare system more than $20 billion annually.

Science indicates the root cause of antibiotic resistance is over-prescription and overuse of antibiotics by humans and in animals. Increasingly, antibiotic overuse results in the inability to prevent and control infections as certain bacteria develop defenses against entire classes of antibiotic compounds. Widely deploying prophylactic solutions that prevent the need for antibiotics and therefore reduce the burden of resistant organisms across communities and healthcare settings is paramount. Effective hand hygiene is one of the most significant solutions to protecting public health.

View White House Press Release and Fact Sheet Here