The independent platform for news, articles and advice for professionals in laboratory medicine

Where are we now in the fight to combat increasing antimicrobial resistance?

Following publication of Lord Jim O’Neill’s review on antimicrobial resistance, new guidance has been issued by NICE on antibiotic prescribing, and some progress has been achieved; however, there are many resistant infections that continue to pose a significant threat to public health.

Medicine risks “going back to the dark ages” without action to spur the development of new antibiotics, according to Margaret Chan, head of the World Health Organization (WHO).1 Only two new antibiotics have reached the market in the last 50 years and this has already started to have a serious impact.

In the UK, a major independent review on antimicrobial resistance, commissioned by the UK government and led by Lord Jim O’Neill, warned that antimicrobial resistance could kill 10 million people a year by 2050 – the equivalent of one person every three seconds, with a cumulative economic cost of around US$100 trillion. Lord O’Neill set out 10 areas where the world needs to take action to tackle AMR. Many of these measures focused on how the unnecessary use of antimicrobials can be reduced, and the rate at which resistance increases, while others looked at how we can increase the supply of new antimicrobial drugs.2

Following the publication of the report, Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer for England, commented: “In every international forum, including the G7, G20 and the UN, we must work with our international partners to ensure global action. At present around 7% of deaths are due to infections. If we do not act, this could rise to 40%, as it was before we had antibiotics.”

Log in or register FREE to read the rest

This story is Premium Content and is only available to registered users. Please log in at the top of the page to view the full text. If you don't already have an account, please register with us completely free of charge.
Register

Upcoming Events

USCAP 113th Annual Meeting

Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
23-28 March, 2024

Pathology Horizons 2024

MacDonald Bath Spa Hotel, Bath
18-20 April, 2024

Diagnostics North East Conference 2024

The Catalyst, Newcastle upon Tyne
19 April, 2024

ECCMID 2024 - European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Fira Gran Via, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
27-30 April 2024

British Society for Microbial Technology Annual Microbiology Conference

UK Health Security Agency, Colindale, London
2 May 2024

EQA Reports: Interpreting Key Information & Troubleshooting Tips

ONLINE - Zoom
Thursday 16th May 2024

Access the latest issue of Pathology In Practice on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Pathology In Practice app from your device's App store

Upcoming Events

USCAP 113th Annual Meeting

Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
23-28 March, 2024

Pathology Horizons 2024

MacDonald Bath Spa Hotel, Bath
18-20 April, 2024

Diagnostics North East Conference 2024

The Catalyst, Newcastle upon Tyne
19 April, 2024

ECCMID 2024 - European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Fira Gran Via, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
27-30 April 2024

British Society for Microbial Technology Annual Microbiology Conference

UK Health Security Agency, Colindale, London
2 May 2024

EQA Reports: Interpreting Key Information & Troubleshooting Tips

ONLINE - Zoom
Thursday 16th May 2024

Access the latest issue of Pathology In Practice on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Pathology In Practice app from your device's App store

Step Communications Ltd, Step House, North Farm Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DR
Tel: 01892 779999
www.step-communications.com
© 2024 Step Communications Ltd. Registered in England. Registration Number 3893025