New Wellcome Report – ‘How drug resistant infections are undermining modern medicine – and why more research is needed’ – cites the story of ANTRUK supporter and speaker Annabelle Armitage. It draws attention to the increasingly dangerous implications of AMR. It also highlights the urgent need for more research to stop common infections becoming untreatable.
One of the main drivers behind the formation of our charity in 2014 was the general lack of awareness of drug-resistant infections. We worried about the lack of funding to support this key area of medical research.
We have long argued that antibiotics underpin all modern medicine and it is heartening therefore that in a recent report published by the Wellcome Trust our view is reinforced. Commissioned by Wellcome and conducted by Rand Europe, the report examines the impact of treating a multitude of medical conditions where antibiotics are used.
The report looks at a number of different conditions where AMR posed a threat. It provides a series of case studies to emphasise the areas where antibiotics are of critical importance. ANTRUK recognised the widespread implications of antibiotic resistance many years before. We created this table in 2016 to highlight treatments where antibiotics are invaluable. These are consistent with the Wellcome report and solidify the true importance of further research in this area.
Annabelle’s story
We were particularly pleased to read one of the case studies cited in the Wellcome Trust report of our very own Annabelle Armitage. Annabelle has previously shared her horrific story at several ANTRUK events. She fell off her horse and fractured her leg so severely that it needed pinning and putting in a frame. It took 10 years of continuous treatment for Annabelle’s leg to recover. She needed round after round of antibiotics to treat her leg wound. She very nearly had to have her leg amputated and this would have happened if Annabelle’s antibiotics stopped working. You can read more of Annabelle’s story here.
AMR is a slow burning pandemic unlike COVID-19 which sweeps through a population so quickly. However, it is AMR that poses the greatest threat to modern medicine. Unless the world wakes up to the issue of AMR and puts real money behind the problem we will reach the scenario by 2050 in which 10 million people will die globally each year from AMR.
The time for reports and talk is over – we need universal action! Support our charity so that we can make a bigger impact and stop AMR becoming a death sentence for millions. DONATE NOW.