How can we alleviate the burden of antibiotic resistance?

Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health concern, threatening the lives of millions of people around the world. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when natural bacteria within the body are mutated so that they are no longer killed by antibiotics. Effective antibiotics are crucial, as nearly every medical procedure is dependent on them being effective. Currently, antibiotic resistance claims the lives of 700,000 people per year globally, this is predicted to increase to 10 million by 2050 if the current situation is not improved.

One person who seeks to improve this current situation is Professor Colin Garner, CEO of Antibiotic Research UK (ANTRUK). Through ANTRUK, Garner aims to see a world free from drug-resistant infections through increased research, education, and patient support. With the goal of bringing at least one new antibiotic treatment to market by the early 2020s, ANTRUK is currently raising funds and supporting world-class, peer-reviewed research. Here, Garner tells Health Europa about the necessary steps that ANTRUK is taking in order to raise awareness about AMR and discusses how policies can be implemented to reduce the number of associated deaths.