WHO ARE THE PIONEERS BEHIND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE?
For the past 70 years, antimicrobial drugs have been used to treat patients inflicted with a variety of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. Over time, these infectious organisms have evolved and adapted in ways that make these drugs less effective. Today, many companies and organizations are looking to develop stronger medication, generate alternative solutions, and raise awareness. Explore the contents of this page to learn about these innovators.
NIAID is an organization that funds and conducts research on many aspects of antimicrobial resistance. This organization supports research that improves the understanding of how microbes acquire and pass on drug-resistance genes. Additionally, NIAID is focused on developing faster diagnostic tests to make it easier for doctors to prescribe an effective drug. This prevents the overuse of broad-spectrum medications that contribute to resistance. Overall, NIAID supports companies and researchers who are designing new drugs and vaccines to combat resistant microbes. Since an issue as complex as antimicrobial resistance requires a comprehensive approach, NIAID partners with both federal agencies and private companies in order to accelerate research and development of possible solutions
The CDC aims to protect America from domestic and international health, safety and security threats. This organization fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same. As for drug resistance, the CDC acts as a national resource for information and surveillance by publishing reports and closely monitoring resistance patterns. The Center for Disease Control is also working to support White House’s strategy to combating antimicrobial resistance.
WHO is the directing authority for health within the United Nations. This organization is responsible for providing information on global health-related matters, shaping the research agenda, setting standards, providing assistance to countries in need and assessing trends. WHO considers health to be a shared responsibility and aims to be a collective source of information. As for antimicrobial resistance, WHO aims to work with various organizations around the world to prevent the emergence and spread of resistant microbes. This organization plans to take the lead in the fight against resistance by encouraging all stakeholders to work towards a common goal, generating policies, and publishing reports using data provided by multiple countries.
The National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) was established in 1996 and is, today, a key player in combating antimicrobial resistance. This program is a partnership among various local and state health institutions, including the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This program serves as a surveillance system that monitors changes in antimicrobial resistance trends across the nation. The NARMS program protects public health by providing information about emerging drug resistance, the ways in which resistance is spread, and how resistant infections differ from those caused by susceptible microbes.
GSK is a pharmaceutical company with a mission to develop vaccines, medicine and other products that improve the health of their consumers. In 2013, GSK entered into a partnership with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to support the development of new antibiotics to fight antibiotic resistance. This company also has a significant global presence with operations in more than 150 countries and 86 manufacturing sites in 36 countries.
AmpliPhi Biosciences is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of bacteriophages as a solution to drug resistance. Phage therapy an approach to treating a wide variety of bacterial infections, particularly those that are commonly found in the hospital setting. AmpliPhi Biosciences is currently one of the only companies revisiting phage therapy as a viable solution to antibiotic resistance. Their goal is to identify and develop bacteriophages to eliminate targeted bacterial infections. Currently, AmpliPhi is based in Richmond, Virginia in the United States, but also maintains operations in Sydney, Australia.
Not only is AstraZeneca one of the world's largest pharmaceutical company, but it is also one of the few companies that has invested in antibiotic research during the last 2 decades. They are one of the leading companies in bacterial genomics, biochemistry and antibiotics research. AstraZeneca is currently focusing on developing medication that is effective against nosocomial infection as well as multi-drug resistant bacteria. This company is committed to ensuring a reliable supply of medications where and when they are needed.