Collaboration is the key
November 16, 2012
THE key to tackling the pipeline
slowage for antibiotic development
lies in collaboration between
worldwide industry bodies and
governments, according to
Medicines Australia.
“The problem of anti-microbial
resistance requires a collaborative
response, bringing together leaders
in government, science, economics,
public policy and industry,” said
Medicines Australia Chief Executive
Dr Brendan Shaw.
“The medicines industry shares
the concerns of the World Health
Organisation about the global
spread of anti-microbial resistance.
“Without new effective
antibiotics, many complex medical
interventions like chemotherapy,
joint replacements and organ
transplants would be very difficult
or impossible,” Shaw added.
Speaking about the issue, Shaw
urged governments around the
world to work with the medicines
industry and other parties to create
a policy environment “that will
prevent and counter the
emergence of highly resistant
infections”.
“There is a desperate need for
greater incentives for research into
new antibiotics,” he said.
“Governments in the US and
Europe are starting to realise that
there are few new antibiotics
available today because it has
become too difficult for companies
to develop new therapies over the
last 20 years due to things like
restrictive regulatory systems and
low prices.
“The result is while the medicines
industry has invested billions of
dollars in developing new
medicines over the last two
decades, antibiotics are one area
where companies have exited the
market,” he added.
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