Tackling resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is no longer news. We no longer go to the GP when we have a cold expecting to receive antibiotics because we are well aware that they are not effective against viral infections. We know that prudent use of antibiotics can help stop resistant bacteria from developing and help keep antibiotics effective for the use of future generations. We have been well educated!

However, the ability of bacteria to survive antibiotic treatment remains a growing concern for both the medical and the veterinary professions. In 2013 the Government launched its Five Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy. It ‘sets out actions to slow the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance with a focus on antibiotics’.

The overall goal of this cross-government UK strategy is to slow the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance by focusing activities around three strategic aims to: improve the knowledge and understanding of antimicrobial resistance; conserve and steward the effectiveness of existing treatments; and stimulate the development of new antibiotics, diagnostics and novel therapies.