At last, we’re serious about antibiotics

• 

• 

• 

We have so many friends to thank this morning for sending us links to a breaking story. Oxford University has received a £100 million grant from Ineos to start serious research projects into antibiotic resistance and new antibiotics. Regular readers will be fed up with us banging on about this; but we say: at last! It’s well covered this morning, so we’ve done a couple of links to stories at the BBC and Mail.

We’d like to make a couple of observations here. As some of you have pointed out, one of the most important ways in which we have squandered the opportunity antibiotics gave us was their uncontrolled and massive use in animal farming. The thoughtless desire to measure success by how cheaply you get goods to the point of sale, and no other has done immense damage to public health in so many areas. Let’s hope the new rango of antibiotics doesn’t go the same way.

Secondly to thank the work of Professor Colin Garner. He it was who first identified this problem back in 2014, since when he has campaigned tirelessly. Building a whole new charity, recruiting big hitters like Dame Sally Davies, lobbying and organising…..we would all be in a much worse place without him. If you want to learn more about his work, please visit the website of antibiotics research UK Antibiotic Research UK | Fighting Antibiotic Resistance

Oxford research tackles threat of antibiotic resistance – BBC News

Ineos gives Oxford University £100m for antibiotic… | Daily Mail Online

#antibiotics #superbugs #antibioticresearch #oxforduniversity #ineos #professorcolingarner