SENATE BILL: Antibiotics Research Act (Law'd)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Sponsor: Spiral

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The sponsor has twenty four hours to beging advocating for this.

[tmthforu94]

How much currently goes to research? I support the second and third clause, just want to check on the current levels before supporting the first.

[PPT Spiral]

The application of antibiotics for the public will perhaps be the most pressing medical crisis of our time to come. By and large, there hasn't been a great investment with industry in researching new antibiotics since the 1980s, as the costs for making the drugs are high. Because people have been exposed to the same drugs for so long, we've gradually gained resistance to them, nullifying their effectiveness. This is a dangerous trend on many fronts. MRSA is a problem in hospitals today and will become even more of a threat to patients since the bacteria has gained resistance. Antibiotics used for livestock are encountered with resistance in a fair amount of cases, increasing the risk of illness spread through our food.

This article I came across a few months ago goes into greater detail on the subject and I recommend reading it. I want this legislation to be a stepping stone to address this problem, as it seems to often be overlooked when healthcare and medicine is discussed. Gradually appropriating money like this over the course of a few years will lessen the financial burden of this, and it's all for a good cause.

How much currently goes to research? I support the second and third clause, just want to check on the current levels before supporting the first.

Looking at the most recent federal budget, passed, here is what our health spending looks like, and here is general science stuff. Nothing too specific mentioned here, though. This bill would make sure that we're bringing resources over to this field.

[TNF]

Why are we giving these guys tax credits when we're already spending $5 billion on research? If anything, they should be paying us to use discoveries and products churned out by the Republic of Atlasia. A kind of "user fee" for private sector companies using things that come from the public purse, if you will.

[President Tyrion]

Simple amendment, just in case the "new" antibiotics part could be abused:

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[tmthforu94]

Great, thanks for the information, Senator Spiral.

How would you feel about redirecting some of the funds currently set aside in the budget for this specific research? We already have $30 billion set aside for health research and training. I'm all for finding ways to make our federal budget even more detailed.

[PPT Spiral]

Tyrion's amendment is friendly with me.

And I would be open to that, Tmth. Whatever makes the budget clearer for the long run.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I agree with the Senator about the problem that we are facing with antibiotics and the growing resistance that people are exibiting to the existing ones as well as the threat that this poses to the public health.


Therefore, I do think we should do something. I do wonder how much progress can be expected to be obtained from this amount or a different one. I realize though that going in you don't know quite where the science will lead to, something which I noted during the debate on the Mental Health Act Part I.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Sponsor Feedback: Friendly
Status: Senators have 24 hours to object.

[TNF]

Offering an amendment:

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[PPT Spiral]

TNF's amendment is hostile

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Is section 3 even necessary? Whatever the research yields will have to comply with federal regulations to be used by the public anyway.

[PPT Spiral]

Is section 3 even necessary? Whatever the research yields will have to comply with federal regulations to be used by the public anyway.

My intention while writing that was that those agencies could apply for the tax credit and that it wouldn't be automatic. I see your point, though, so I would be open for revising that.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Is section 3 even necessary? Whatever the research yields will have to comply with federal regulations to be used by the public anyway.

My intention while writing that was that those agencies could apply for the tax credit and that it wouldn't be automatic. I see your point, though, so I would be open for revising that.

For simplicity's sake, we could just appropriate the $5 billion to the national science foundation for research and be done with it. It seems like it is a blanket fund anyway since we aren't designating specific things to research.

I also think TNF's amendment is not necessary either. If the Foundation creates a new drug, they can easily patent it for X number of years and make themselves the exclusive producer. Once a patent expires, it is fair game for anyone to produce as it is usually.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Amendment 59:09 by Tyrion (seen above), appears to have been adopted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Sponsor Feedback: Hostile
Status: A vote is now open on the above amendment, please vote Aye, NAy or Abstain.

There appears to be something wrong with my numbering system starting from the ninth. Don't worry, this is the text you are voting on regardless of whether it is 59:13 or 59:15.

[Goldwater]

NAY

[President Tyrion]

Nay

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Nay

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

NAY

[PPT Spiral]

Nay

[Talleyrand]

Nay

I understand TNF's intent, but I think most of what this amendment dictates will be practiced anyway.

[TNF]

Aye

[tmthforu94]

Nay