Bill Overview
Title: SUPER BUGS Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to seek to enter into arrangements with foreign countries, multilateral organizations, and other appropriate entities to facilitate the development and commercialization of qualified pandemic or epidemic products, which include drugs, biological products, and medical devices. HHS shall report to Congress a strategy for achieving this goal.
Sponsors: Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]
Target Audience
Population: People potentially affected by antimicrobial-resistant infections
Estimated Size: 330000000
- The SUPER BUGS Act of 2022 focuses on pandemic preparedness using global strategies, specifically targeting infectious diseases resistant to current treatments.
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a significant public health issue globally, influenced by overuse and misuse of antibiotics.
- The target population includes anyone potentially exposed to superbugs, which is typically pandemic in nature, affecting people worldwide.
- Since infectious diseases do not respect borders, global coordination is essential. This implies the whole global population (humans) could benefit from improved responses to pandemics.
Reasoning
- The SUPER BUGS Act of 2022 is primarily targeting a national health concern that has global implications. The focus is on mitigating risks associated with antimicrobial resistance and improving preparedness for future pandemics.
- In the U.S., the act is likely to have variable impacts based on occupation, location, and personal health. Medical personnel might see a more immediate benefit from increased support for pandemic solutions and resistance management.
- General awareness of pandemic preparedness may be low unless directly affected, meaning the average individual may report little change initially but could notice improvements in healthcare quality over time.
- Considering the budget's limitations, not all potentially impacted individuals and communities will see immediate benefits, but the act sets a foundation for longer-term improvements.
- Given the policy's broad target across a significant population and its projected gradual rollout, the immediate impact on individual well-being scores may vary from none to low in the short term, with potential for higher impacts as efforts scale.
Simulated Interviews
Nurse (New York City, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm cautiously optimistic. This policy seems like a step in the right direction.
- We've been grappling with drug-resistant infections on and off over the years, so more strategic resources are definitely needed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Software Engineer (Austin, TX)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Vaccinations and keeping kids safe from diseases are really important to me, so I think it's great to have more global strategies against pandemics.
- I don't think I'll notice immediate changes in my day-to-day unless there’s another health scare.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone who's dealt with health scares, I'm hopeful this could mean quicker and more effective treatments in the future.
- It's crucial to prepare especially now, considering how connected we all are globally.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Research Scientist (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 33 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's an exciting time for those of us researching AMR, as it means more funding and resources might become available.
- I'm eager to see how this act will push forward global collaborative efforts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 2 |
Primary School Teacher (Chicago, IL)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Teaching children about global health is part of my curriculum.
- Knowing there’s a plan makes me feel more at ease should anything happen again.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Freelance Journalist (Seattle, WA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's critical to have a global approach; diseases don't stick to borders.
- I'm curious how effective the collaboration will be in real-world scenarios.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
University Student (Ann Arbor, MI)
Age: 19 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our generation has seen first-hand how pandemics can disrupt everything.
- I'm glad to see something proactive being done for the future.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Small Business Owner (Boston, MA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Supply issues due to drug resistance have been an ongoing challenge.
- Hopefully, global collaboration will introduce new solutions so we can offer better options to our customers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
Stay-at-home Parent (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- There's peace of mind knowing that steps are being taken to prevent another health crisis.
- I hope this means future preparedness drills and better healthcare responses for families.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Federal Health Policy Analyst (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 34 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The bill is a significant move towards a more coordinated response to global health threats.
- I'll be analyzing the effectiveness and execution closely.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 3 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $600000000 (Low: $500000000, High: $700000000)
Year 3: $700000000 (Low: $600000000, High: $800000000)
Year 5: $900000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1000000000)
Year 10: $1200000000 (Low: $1000000000, High: $1400000000)
Year 100: $2000000000 (Low: $1500000000, High: $2500000000)
Key Considerations
- International collaboration can be complex and may take time to yield significant results.
- Costs may be initially high due to the scale of research, development, and strategic planning involved.
- Potential savings rely on successful prevention of pandemics and widespread adoption of new products.