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Legislation Introduced in Response to MRSA
Crisis
Press Release, Office of Sen.
Robert Menendez, D-N.J.
December 21, 2007 - As a devastating
drug-resistant staph infection known as MRSA
affects patients in hospitals, first
responders such as police, firefighters and
emergency medical personnel, schoolchildren
and other individuals in public places
across the country, U.S. Senator Robert
Menendez (D-NJ) has introduced a package of
legislation to combat the crisis.
The Protecting Workers from Infectious
Agents Act would create a new Occupational,
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
standard to protect employees who work with
infectious agents or are exposed to drug
resistant infections, such as MRSA. The MRSA
Infection Prevention and Patient Protection
Act would create a MRSA prevention program
for hospitals and would require hospitals to
screen high-risk patients for the infection.
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention recently calculated that 19,000
Americans are dying of staph infections each
year and that MRSA is killing more people
annually than AIDS, emphysema or homicide.
"Anyone who is admitted to a hospital,
anyone who works in health care or is a
first responder should have the peace of
mind that comes with knowing their federal
government is doing all it can to battle
drug-resistant staph infections," said
Senator Menendez. "MRSA is devastating, and
we must do everything we can at all levels
of government to become educated about and
combat this health crisis. These proposals
are an important first step, and I will work
with my colleagues to make them law."
Protecting Workers from Infections Agents
Act (S.2526):
The bill would create a new OSHA standard to
protect health care workers and first
responders, including police, firefighters,
emergency medical personnel, and other
workers at risk of workplace exposure to
infections agents and drug resistant
infections, such as MRSA. This bill is
co-sponsored by Senators Richard Durbin
(D-IL) and Ted Kennedy (D-MA).
MRSA Infection Prevention and Patient
Protection Act (S.2525):
The bill would create a MRSA prevention
program for hospitals and would require
hospitals to screen high-risk patients for
the infection and:
·
Screen all Patients Entering Intensive Care
Unit
·
Prevent the Spread of Infection
·
Report Infection Rates
·
Report Infection Rates from Non-Hospital
Medicare Providers
The program would also encourage best
hospital practices, such as hand hygiene and
contact precautions in order to prevent the
spread of MRSA. This bill is co-sponsored by
Senator Durbin. |
