Latest Jim O'Neill review predicts superbugs will 'kill every three seconds'

Superbugs will 'kill every three seconds'

The NIHR Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in HCAI and AMR is cited as a key supporting document in Lord O'Neill's latest report

Lord Jim O’Neill’s Review of Antimicrobial Resistance sets out a blueprint for tackling this global challenge. 

This global review looks at the increasing problem of resistance and why action is needed urgently. It is predicted that without action antimicrobial resistance will ‘kill every 3 seconds’.

The review recommends the following key proposals:

• A massive global public awareness campaign
• Improve sanitation and hygiene
• Reduce pollution from agriculture and the environment
• Improve global surveillance
• Introduce rapid diagnostics and vaccine
• Financial rewards to develop new drugs

Lord O’Neill’s review cites as a key supporting document a paper co-authored by theme leads Dr Julie Robotham and Prof Neil Woodford at the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Healthcare Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance, and PhD student Miss Nichola Naylor. Their paper entitled Potential impact of novel diagnostics and treatments on the burden of antibiotic resistant in Escherichia coli highlights the increasing concern of Escherichia Coli blood stream infections in Europe given their incidence and severe associated outcomes.