Professor Colin Garner provides a bit of background information about the problem of antibiotic resistance and how it affects us all. Antibiotic resistance is where bacteria become resistant to antibiotics This is a major health problem and it is getting worse.
In the latest report published by Public Health England (ESPAUR 2015) there was a 15% increase in E coli bloodstream infections which were antibiotic resistant and a 20% increase in resistant K pneumoniae infections. This inexorable rise in antibiotic resistance is very worrying. Already today 20% of patients with a bacterial infection, fail to respond to the first antibiotic they are given.
Recent reports have highlighted resistance to colistin our last resort antibiotic. There is a great danger of a bacterial antibiotic resistance pandemic which could result in tens of thousands of deaths.
That is why our charity is so important and that is why we have set our primary mission to;
- Develop one new antibiotic therapy by the early 2020s with subsequent therapies being introduced in the following decades
- Educate the public and professionals about antibiotic resistance
- Provide patient support
We have brought together on our Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) some of the country’s leading experts in antibiotic resistance research in order to identify new ways of tackling the problem. We are very pleased to say that we have now raised sufficient funds to commence our first research programme. A Tender Document has been put together to be circulated to laboratories that could bid for funds. The aim is to have the first phase of this research programme completed by the end of 2016.
You must log in to post a comment.