Daniel Cressey writes:
The danger of antibiotic-resistant bacteria should be placed alongside pandemic influenza and terrorism on the UK government’s list of threats to national security, the country’s most senior medic has advised. Sally Davies, the UK chief medical officer, warned that antimicrobial resistance “poses a catastrophic threat” and that international action to combat this problem is needed now. Davies, speaking as she launched a report on the problem compiled by some of the country’s leading doctors and academics, called for more research into new antibiotics and better surveillance of the these bugs, incorporating more genomic testing to increase scientists’ understanding of emerging resistance.
Read more at Drug-resistant bacteria and lack of new antibiotics pose ‘catastrophic threat’ : Nature News Blog.