Antimicrobial resistance is a ‘ticking time bomb’

The Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies has announced that global action is needed if we are to overcome the ‘catastrophic threat’ of antimicrobial resistance.

The warning, made in her second annual report, highlighted the lack of new antibiotics discovered in the past two decades.

Despite new infectious diseases being discovered on an almost yearly basis, very few new antibiotics have been developed.

This means that we have limited resources to manage the increasing number of infectious diseases that are ever evolving to become resistant to current drugs.

‘We need to work with everyone to ensure the apocalyptic scenario of widespread antimicrobial resistance does not become a reality,’ said Professor Davies. ‘This is a threat arguably as important as climate change for the world.’

The importance of preserving current antibiotics was also emphasized. Professor Davies argued that in order to retain the effectiveness of existing antibiotics, responsible prescribing must be adhered to.

‘All physicians who prescribe antibiotics have a responsibility to their patients (and public health) to prescribe optimally,’ she said.

To help meet the challenges set out by Professor Davies, the Department of Health is planning to publish a UK Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy.

This five-year strategy will focus on championing the responsible use of antibiotics by ensuring NHS staff have the necessary knowledge, skills and training to prescribe antibiotics effectively.

Professor Davies stressed that governments and organizations across the world, including the World Health Organization and G8, need to realize the seriousness of the problem.

‘If we don’t act now, any one of us could go into hospital in 20 years for minor surgery and die because of an ordinary infection that can’t be treated by antibiotics.’

Taken from Practice Nursing, published 19 Mar 2013.