1. What strategies can healthcare professionals employ to help prevent further development of antibiotic resistance?
Antibiotic Resistance: Where do we go next? – Podcast
Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem and it’s time to start conversations on what our next steps should be to safeguard against it. Our latest podcast, “Antibiotic Resistance: Where do we go next?” is a great place to do just that.
What is Antibiotic Resistance?
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria become immune to the antibiotics that are typically used to treat them. This means that infections that were once easily treatable can no longer be effectively treated with antibiotics.
What is Covered in the Podcast?
Our podcast covers a wide range of topics when it comes to antibiotic resistance, including:
- How antibiotics are used in an agricultural setting and the implications for antibiotic resistance among farm animals
- The dangers of overprescribing antibiotics and the need for improved prescribing practices
- The need for new antibiotics to combat evolving bacteria
- How our lifestyle choices impact antibiotic resistance
Who is Featured on the Podcast?
Our podcast features experts from multiple backgrounds who give insight on how to address antibiotic resistance. Our panel of guests include:
- Dr. Jane Smith, a scientist researching antibiotic resistance
- Dr. John Doe, an infectious disease specialist
- Michael Smith, a public health official
- Dr. Thomas Jones, an agricultural scientist
Why Listen to the Podcast?
Antibiotic resistance is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed now. Our podcast can help you gain insight into the issue and equip you with the tools to become an advocate for antibiotic awareness and stewardship.
Listen Now
Our podcast is available now! Tune in to “Antibiotic Resistance: Where do we go next?” to join the conversation and see the steps we can take to protect against antibiotic resistance.
In recent years, antibiotic resistance has become an increasingly concerning global health issue. As antibiotics become less effective at treating infections, the spread of drug-resistant bacteria threatens to return us to a pre-antibiotic era where common infections could quickly become deadly.
In a recent podcast, experts Dr. Ajay Pillai and Lesley Ann McMahon discuss how countries are attempting to respond to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Dr. Pillai, an infectious diseases specialist and Professor of Medicine, explains how the development of new drugs has been a slow process, stifling progress against the rapid development of resistance. McMahon is the founding Executive Director of the AllTrials Initiative and Co-founder of the Antibiotic Resistance Action Centre at George Washington University.
Both experts agree that although the development of new drugs is important, it isn’t the only solution. McMahon argues that greater transparency is needed around clinical trial data, to help inform researchers, clinicians and policymakers about which antibiotic treatments could be the most effective against a particular infectious disease. Educating the public about safe antibiotic use is also important, as misuse increases the chances that drug-resistant bacteria can spread.
Dr. Pillai and McMahon further discuss how a multi-pronged approach, incorporating improvements in policy, technology and public health education, is needed in order to address the increasing threat of antibiotic resistance. Crucially, they emphasize that tackling the root causes of the emergence of antibiotic resistance must be the priority before we can develop solutions, otherwise any advances may be in vain.
The podcast underlines the complex nature of the challenge posed by antibiotic resistance, and the need for a global, coordinated response to tackle it effectively. This requires governments, healthcare providers, industry and the public, to work together to ensure the issue does not become an insurmountable threat to global health.