This is an excerpt of an article from: who.int
Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization dialogued on antimicrobial resistance, one of the greatest threats to health today, with UN Member States in New York City, USA, April 18th 2016.
The rise of antimicrobial resistance is a global crisis, recognized as one of the greatest threats to health today. Antimicrobial resistance is on the rise in every region of the world. We are losing our first-line antibiotics. Second- and third-choice antibiotics are more costly, more toxic, need much longer durations of treatment, and may require administration in intensive care units. This makes a broad range of common infections much more difficult to treat.
With few replacement products in the R&D pipeline, the world is heading towards a post-antibiotic era in which common infections will once again kill. If current trends continue, sophisticated interventions, like organ transplantation, joint replacements, cancer chemotherapy, and care of pre-term infants, will become more difficult or even too dangerous to undertake. This may even bring the end of modern medicine as we know it.
This is a crisis, and it is global.
Resistant pathogens travel very well internationally in people, animals, and food. They can also spread directly from one person to another. Compelling evidence shows that resistance is driven by the total volume of antibiotics used, also in food production. In some countries, more antibiotics are used in food production than in medical care.
We need ways to target all behaviours that contribute to the misuse of these fragile medicines. We should not blame any single sector. We are all in this together. We need ways to monitor progress and make quick course corrections if we are moving in the wrong direction.
Diagoras’ insight
The rise of multidrug-resistant pathogens is a major worldwide issue, which requires urgent measures at different levels. To bring a solution to this problem, the European Commission launched a call for proposals and mobilized funds in this research area.
Diagoras has emerged from this initiative. In addition to the development of alternative treatments and new antibiotics, Diagoras focuses on the diagnostic process to restrain the drugs resistance. The project aim is to develop a Point-of-care microbiological device, intended for general practioners, dental specialists and emergency doctors, to support them in establishing an evidence-based diagnosis.
Thus, Diagoras R&D will lead to implement better practices for antibiotics use, which today is a first crucial answer to the antimicrobial threat.
Related links
WHO Director-General briefs UN on antimicrobial resistance
Antibiotic resistance – Diagoras