Striving to bolster the antibiotic pipeline before it becomes the next crisis
It’s been almost 10 years since the world was warned of a post-antibiotic apocalypse. Katrina Megget takes a look at the initiatives trying to support antimicrobial R&D
In January 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned the world was heading for a ‘post-antibiotic era’ unless action was taken against the growing risk of antibiotic resistance. Comparisons with climate change and terrorism were made. Sally Davies, the UK’s chief medical officer at the time, dubbed the situation a potential apocalypse. Meanwhile, fingers were pointed at big pharma, as the antibiotic pipeline dwindled and company after company abandoned the space. Initiatives launched, governments scrambled, antibiotic prescribing was curtailed.