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ROUND ROCK, Texas, Oct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier this month, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced the appointment of nationally recognized experts to the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (the Advisory Council).

"Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health threat across our country," said HHS Secretary Burwell. "Work is underway to implement a National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, a research-driven plan to identify and coordinate action across the administration to prevent and control outbreaks of resistant pathogens." Up to half of all antibiotics prescribed are not needed at all because the patient does not have a bacterial infection.  Too often more potent antimicrobial drugs are prescribed inappropriately because a traditional drug has been rejected due to a suspected drug allergy.

This week at IDWeek, experts will discuss how penicillin skin testing may help improve antibiotic stewardship in the hospital setting and how testing can improve access to the most appropriate antibiotics. With new guidance under development on antibiotic prescribing, there is increasing interest in penicillin skin testing and how such testing may be used to improve antibiotic stewardship. Penicillin allergic patients are significantly more likely to receive fluoroquinolones, vancomycin, and clindamycin than non-allergic patients. These medications are part of a class of antibiotics that are being overprescribed which may contribute to antibiotic resistance.

Visit ALK at booth 511 during IDWeek in San Diego to learn more.

You are invited to the following presentations:

• Thursday, October 8,  11:15 AM - 12:00 PM, Learning Lounge 1, Booth 115
  "The Use of Penicillin Skin Testing as an Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiative" with
  
  Christopher M. Bland, PharmD, BCPS, FIDSA  
  Clinical Assistant Professor 
  Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy 
  University of Georgia College of Pharmacy
  
  Bruce M. Jones, PharmD, BCPS, FIDSA Clinical Pharmacy Specialist  
  Infectious Diseases/Antimicrobial Management Program  
  St. Joseph's/Candler Health System, Inc.
  
  
• Friday, October 9,  12:15 PM - 1:00 PM, Learning Lounge 2, Booth 133 
  "No Allergist, No Fear! Implementation of an Infectious Diseases Managed Penicillin Allergy Consult Service " with       
  
  Emily Heil, PharmD   
  Infectious Disease Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Department of Pharmacy - University of Maryland Medical Center    
  
  Jacqueline Bork, MD  
  Instructor Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases  
  University of Maryland School of Medicine
  
  
• Saturday, October 10,  11:15 PM - 12:00 PM, Learning Lounge 2, Booth 133
  "Penicillin Allergy Skin Testing and Antimicrobial Stewardship" with
  
  Eric Macy, MD 
  Kaiser Permanente Southern California        

For more information on penicillin skin testing visit www.prepen.com.

About IDWeek

IDWeek 2015TM is an annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS). With the theme "Advancing Science, Improving Care," IDWeek features the latest science and bench-to-bedside approaches in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and epidemiology of infectious diseases, including HIV, across the lifespan. IDWeek 2015 takes place October 7-11 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. For more information, visit www.idweek.org.

SOURCE PRE-PEN