How can we approach this era of superbugs and healthcare-associated infections

  • Posted on 18.11.2014

How can we approach this era of superbugs and healthcare-associated infections

superbugs-approach

Today is European Antibiotic Awareness Day. Tackling the era of superbugs should be a team sport. Physicians, companies, foundations and the MedTech industry all want to play their part.

Superbugs: How diagnostics can help doctors reduce over-prescription of antibiotics

Earlier identification is the key to better patient management. Current guidelines for sepsis treatment recommend antibiotic treatment for sepsis patients upon admission, prior to any diagnostic result. However, under the current diagnostic standards, which may take several days for definitive answers, several rounds of antibiotics may be administered before identity of the organisms is known, leading to the potential problem of drug-resistant “superbugs.” Despite understanding the long-term risks of resistance, doctors are focused almost exclusively on treating the potential infection in front of them in their individual patient. Often times, they must play a guessing game to avoid wasting precious time. Who can blame them? Read More…

Superbugs: Incentivising medtech to deliver solutions

MedTech is transforming the world in which we live; we are healthier and more able than ever before. However, there are still a number of fundamental challenges that we face both locally and globally. The launch of the Longitude Prize 2014, with it’s £10 million prize fund, is seeking solutions to some of these fundamental scientific challenges. Antibiotic resistance, paralysis and dementia are on the shortlist of issues that could reap a £10m research windfall. The MedTech community has a vital and integral role to play, harnessing its power to innovate and accelerate towards the winning solutions! Read More…

Superbugs and the role of diagnostics explained

Earlier this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a global report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). “Without urgent, coordinated action by many stakeholders, the world is headed for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill,” said Dr Keiji Fukuda, WHO’s Assistant Director General for Health Security. 

So what is the role of diagnostics in antibiotic resistance? Are diagnostics winning? Read More…

Superbugs: “The physician community needs to get its act together”

The WHO has been raising the ‘threat level’ on this issue progressively each year for the last decade, with individual disease reports highlighting the emerging threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This year’s report however highlights this pandemic like never before, demonstrating it’s global nature and its profound impact on health and economics. I’m a cardiologist and the report speaks to me – actually it screams out loud: “We need to get our act together”. Read More…

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