Tackling antimicrobial resistance on multiple fronts

Today, in 2019, some countries are having success in transforming their thinking about antibiotics, viewing them as a resource to be preserved rather than the default treatment option.

Simply focusing on reduction of volume of antibiotics will not be enough either. Recent studies, like that of Public Health England, confirm that knowing when to use antibiotics is becoming even more important and while behaviours are shifting in the right direction, they also demonstrate that sanitation, infection control and awareness can only go so far.

Despite these public health changes, resistance levels continue to rise and now alarm bells are sounding for the future of live-saving treatments like chemotherapy for cancer. Even as the need for new diagnostics and antibiotics grows, we know that the markets for these products is in dire straits. We need to see an urgent change of direction in how we respond to AMR; it must be tackled on multiple fronts.