Save antibiotics. What can be done to prevent a forecasted disaster! Suggestions to promote the development of new antibiotics

Med Mal Infect. 2010 Mar;40(3):129-34. doi: 10.1016/j.medmal.2010.01.007. Epub 2010 Feb 12.

Abstract

New antibiotics are needed because of the increasing resistance of bacteria but they will be available in years to come only if drastic changes are implemented in development strategies, evaluation, use, and financing. Over the last decade, various opinions were stated and limited action was undertaken. Optimizing antibiotic use (as the "antibiotic plan" in France) was indispensable, but the process is still on going, and this is only part of the problem. Major questions are recurrently raised such as improvement of development procedures for new antibiotics, optimizing diagnostic methods, innovating financing modalities, or rescue of "old" antibiotics at risk of being withdrawn from the market. The symposium organized in September 2009 by the Swedish EU presidency helped to support previous recommendations. But conclusions remain unspecific. The propositions which are made here, after a work session, have for aim to be more detailed and innovating, even if they can be discussed, or even provocative.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial*
  • Drugs, Investigational*
  • Humans

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Drugs, Investigational