HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 79


(By Delegates By Delegates Perdue, Hatfield, Tucker, Susman, Marshall, Longstreth, Moore, Long, Hrutkay, Frederick, DeLong, Webster, Brown, Rowan, Hall, Ashley, Border, Schadler, Sumner and Lane )

(Originating in the Committee on Health and Human Resources)

[Introduced March 1, 2006]


Requesting that the Committee on Government and Finance to
conduct a study on the public health crisis created in West Virginia created by antibiotic resistance.

W HEREAS , In 1954, two million pounds of antibiotics were produced in the United States, compared to over fifty million pounds in 2000 and despite their extraordinary value, the overuse of these miracle drugs in medicine and agriculture endangers their continued effectiveness; and
W HEREAS , Each year in the United States, humans consume over 235 million doses of antibiotics, with 20 to 50 percent of the use being unnecessary and over 40 percent of antibiotics produced in the United States are used in livestock production which also pose a problem because of human consumption of the livestock; and
W HEREAS , Every time a person takes an antibiotic, sensitive bacteria are killed, but some bacteria may become resistant to the medication and multiply, resulting in the drug becoming ineffective for treating infections caused by that strain of bacteria; and
W HEREAS , Anti-biotic resistant microcosms are becoming an increasing problem for West Virginia residents, especially children, and with outbreaks of multidrug resistant strains of staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)being found among football players in West Virginia schools; and
W HEREAS , Antibiotic-resistant microorganisms present challenges to health care providers and infection control practitioners because treatments for common infections will become increasingly limited and expensive or nonexistent; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia: That the Legislature hereby requests the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the State's need for educational campaigns and public awareness to address and prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms in West Virginia; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is requested to establish an antibiotic resistance awareness education committee that will undertake a comprehensive review of the various issues related to overuse of antibiotics and recommendations for correcting this problem in West Virginia, including, but not limited to: 1. Use of antibiotics for colds, upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis even though national clinical practice guidelines do not recommend their use for viral infections; 2. Contribution to the problem by patients by asking for antibiotics when they are not needed, or by not completing the entire course of antibiotics prescribed;
3. The effect on West Virginia hospital stays caused by antibiotic overuse; and
4. Recommendations for the Department of Health and Human Resources, hospitals, health care providers, managed care plans and pharmaceutical companies to work together to develop an educational campaign to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms in West Virginia; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the antibiotic resistance awareness education committee shall consist of two members each from the House of Delegates and the Senate, including the chairs of the Health and Human Resources committees, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates and the President of the Senate; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the antibiotic resistance awareness education committee shall have the following advisory members for the purposes of providing technical information: a pharmacist, a physician, and an epidemiologist. The advisory members shall be selected from relevant governmental agencies, including, but not limited to, the Public Employees Insurance Agency, the Bureau for Medical Services, the Bureau for Public Health, and the Board of Pharmacy. The advisory appointments shall be made by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the committee on antibiotic resistance awareness education report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance on or before the thirty-first day of January, 2007, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.