09 Apr 2013
The Government has announced plans to develop a new action plan to deal with antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
AMR occurs when a microorganism becomes resistant to antimicrobial medicine, meaning patients having minor surgery could catch a ‘superbug’ that can no longer be treated by orthodox medicine.
The World Health Organization claimed that a high amount of hospital infections are caused by resilient bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
However, very few new drugs have been developed to combat these viruses in recent years, despite an increasing amount of bacterial infections morphing into drug-resistant superbugs.
The Government hopes its five-year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy and Action Plan, due to be published this summer, will speed up the development of new drugs to fight against AMR.
The strategy will focus on seven areas including the development of new drugs and innovative therapies, guidance on prescription drugs and infection control.
It will also hope to increase awareness by improving training and education among healthcare staff, while AMR research will strive to improve diagnostics and treatment alternatives.
Ministers hope the international community will pick up the baton in the fight against AMR, with increased global collaboration and data sharing one of its core targets.
Copyright Press Association 2013