Report from the Antimicrobial Agents Committee

The Antimicrobial Agents Committee of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) was established in 1985. It was charged with the responsibility of developing initiatives that might help to improve the use of antimicrobial agents and delay the emergence of resistant microorganisms. The Committee and the Council have identified several areas that are considered to be of highest priority. The Committee endorses the Society's Statement on Ethics and has made additional recommendations for consideration by the membership. A series of position papers are being developed. These papers will include the following: Standards for Improving Use of Antibiotics in Hospitals; Clinical Trials of AntiInfective Drugs Before and After Licensure; Consensus Statements for Clinical Guidelines for Therapy and Prophylaxis; and Control of the Emergence of Antibiotic-Resistant Microorganisms. A contract proposal has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revise the current "Guidelines for Clinical Evaluation of Anti-Infective Drugs" and to develop new guidelines for evaluating antimicrobial agents for specific conditions. This report to the membership describes the progress