Interagency Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance

Background

The Interagency Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance was initiated in 1999 following a congressional hearing on the topic "Antimicrobial Resistance: Solutions to a Growing Public Health Problem." The Task Force brings together multiple federal agencies to address the complex issue of antimicrobial resistance.

Members

Currently, representatives from twelve federal agencies participate as members of the Task Force.

Co-chairs:

Other Members:

Public Health Action Plan

The Interagency Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (ITFAR) has published the 2012 Update of A Public Health Action Plan to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance [PDF - 40 pages]. The Action Plan, originally published in 2001 [PDF - 46 pages], and revised in 2011 [PDF - 34 pages], is a blueprint for specific, coordinated federal actions to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance in the United States. The Action Plan addresses the four areas of Federal action: surveillance, prevention and control, research and product development. The Action Plan provides a listing of projects that the participating Federal agencies and departments are pursuing or planning to pursue in an effort to respond to the complex public health risk posed by antimicrobial resistance.

Task Force Co-Chairs

Agency	Staff Member	Title
FDA/DHHS	Edward M. Cox, Jr., MD, MPH	Office of Antimicrobial Products, CDER
	David G. White, PhD	Director, Office of Research, CVM
NIH/DHHS	Dennis M. Dixon, PhD	Chief, Bacteriology and Mycology Branch, DMID/NIAID
	Jane M. Knisely, PhD	Program Officer, Bacteriology and Mycology Branch, DMID/NIAID
CDC/DHHS	Steve Solomon, MD	Director, Office of Antimicrobial Resistance, DHQP/NCEZID
	Jean Patel, PhD, D(ABMM)	Deputy Director, Office of Antimicrobial Resistance, DHQP/NCEZID

Agency/Department Representatives

Agency	Staff Member	Title
AHRQ/DHHS	William. B. Baine, MD	Senior Medical Advisor, Center for Outcomes and Evidence
ASPR/DHHS	Joe Larsen, PhD	Chief, Broad Spectrum Antimicrobials (BSA) Program
CMS/OCSQ	Karen Nakano, M.D., M.S.	Medical Officer, DHMM/QMHAG
HRSA/DHHS	Paul D. Moore, DPh	Senior Health Policy Advisor, Office of Rural Health Policy
OASH/DHHS	Don Wright, M.D., M.P.H.	Deputy Assistant Secretary for Healthcare Quality
USDA	Mary E. Torrence, DVM, PhD, DACVPM	National Program Leader, Food Safety/ARS
DoD	Joel C. Gaydos, MD, MPH	Science Advisor, Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center
DVA	Gary Roselle, MD	DVA/VHA Infectious Diseases Program Office
EPA	Susan Jennings, M.S.	EPA Office of Pesticide Programs

Consulting Members

Agency	Staff Member	Title
FDA/DHHS	Wanda Russ	Policy Analyst, Office of Executive Secretariat
USDA	Neena Anandaraman, DVM, MPH, DACVPM	Veterinary Epidemiologist , Applied Epidemiology Division
DVA	Stephen Kralovic, MD, MPH	DVA/VHA Infectious Diseases Program Office
OASH/DHHS	R. Rani Jeeva, MPH	Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Team Leader, Public Health Advisor
DoD	Luther Lindler, PhD	DHS AFHSC Liaison