Unite for superbug fight
January 22, 2016
MORE than 80 pharmaceutical
and biotechnology companies
worldwide have united in an
attempt to battle drug-resistant
superbugs.
The declaration on Combating
Antimicrobial Resistance was signed
by 83 companies and eight industry
associations from 16 countries
yesterday at the World Economic
Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Companies taking part include
AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline,
Johnson & Johnson, Merck and
Pfizer as well as some smaller
biotech companies and some
generic manufacturers in India.
Chairman of the review, Lord Jim
O’Neill, said the declaration from
industry was “a major step forward
in establishing a properly global
response to the challenges of drug
resistance.
“The pharmaceutical industry,
as well as society at large, cannot
afford to ignore the threat of
antibiotic resistance, so I commend
those companies who have signed
the declaration for recognising the
long-term importance of revitalising
research and development in
antibiotics, and for their leadership
in overcoming the difficult issues
of collective action at play here,”
O’Neill said.
The declaration calls on
governments around the world to
support investment in developing
antibiotics, diagnostics, vaccines
and other products vital for the
prevention and treatment of drug resistant
infections.
It also supports continued efforts
to conserve antibiotics with
recommendations as to how they
are prescribed.
Changes are also being sought in
incentive structures within health
systems that directly or indirectly
reward doctors, pharmacists
and veterinarians for prescribing
antibiotics in greater volumes.
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