Antibiotic resistance means that an antibiotic is no longer effective against the bacteria it is intended to treat. There are numerous reasons why bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. However, this phenomenon is largely due to widespread overuse and incorrect prescribing practices. In
Antibiotic resistance means that an antibiotic is no longer effective against the bacteria it is intended to treat. There are numerous reasons why bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. However, this phenomenon is largely due to widespread overuse and incorrect prescribing practices. In fact, up to 50% of all the antibiotics prescribed are either not needed – for example, antibiotics prescribed to treat a viral infection – or are not effective as prescribed.
Today, antibiotic resistance is a leading global health problem with a substantial impact on patients, health care systems and economies worldwide. Current trends project antibiotic resistance could cause up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050.
Diagnostic tests have the capacity to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use by identifying non-bacterial infections, expedite diagnosis and treatment decisions through point-of-care tests, and guide antimicrobial treatment selection through antibiotic susceptibility tests. Additionally, diagnostic tests support early detection and diagnosis of drug-resistant infections, enable effective disease surveillance and outbreak monitoring, and help prevent the spread of resistant organisms.
Video: The Role of Diagnostics in Combatting Antibiotic Resistance
Global Commitment on Diagnostic Tests to Fight Antimicrobial Resistance
AdvaMedDx recently announced a global stakeholder initiative to optimize the use of diagnostic tests in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The global initiative is based on a stakeholder statement of commitment that serves as a framework for collaborative action, outlining specific goals for leveraging existing diagnostic solutions and investing in improvements and access.
In addition to outlining future goals, the commitment highlights the immediate benefits of leveraging existing diagnostic tests. All interested stakeholders are invited to join the effort and commit to:
Building a long-term economic case for diagnostics as a public good in the fight against drug-resistant infections;
Establishing public-private partnerships to develop health systems and create wide-scale access to diagnostics;
Working to ensure effective global utilization of diagnostics; and
Advocating for research and development investments, funding, simplified regulatory processes and sustainable reimbursement policies to encourage development.
A panel of industry leaders and global experts -- held at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 20, 2017 -- discusses the growing health crisis of antimicrobial resistance and the critical role of diagnostic solutions in combating it.
Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer of the United Kingdom, delivers the keynote address at a panel discussion on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 20, 2017.
Andy Fish, executive director of AdvaMedDx, announces a global stakeholder initiative to optimize the use of diagnostic tests in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 20, 2017.