Yes, gentle readers, back to our Core Mission Values, our raison d’etre, our philosophical DNA (stop there-ed) We just wish it could be better news. For Andrew Gregory, that accomplished science journalist of The Guardian has just written up a magisterial survey of the UK’s efforts to contend with antimicrobial resistance by the National Audit Office(NAO). [2]”Could do better” is the verdict.
First the good news: UK Governments have recognised the problem and are” taking measures,” as the old saying goes. Good! We’ve been on this one for ten years now, and compared to then, the general awareness is indeed very high. Now for the bad: according to Andrew:
Of five domestic targets set in 2019, only one – reducing antibiotic use in food-producing animals – was met. Drug-resistant infections in humans have increased by 13% since 2018, despite a target to reduce them by 10%, the NAO said
There’s lots more good stuff in here, including some killer statistics about where we will be in 2050 if nothing is done. If you haven’t got time for the report, at least read Andrew’s piece.
The reason we take all this seriously is where it comes from. If there is one thing that still marks out a little of the old British excellence it lies in objective institutions like the Civil Service and the BBC, whose cool objectivity have long been the admiration of our overseas friends(we know this from personal experience) The reports assiduously collected facts and judicious observations are a model of intellectual clarity. Britain may not be great anymore, but it is still a pretty representative country. We suspect that much in this report may apply to where you live too, gentle reader. If so, our collective efforts still need to be stepped up. By a lot.
[1]https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/feb/26/uk-falling-short-in-fight-against-rise-of-superbugs-resistant-to-antibiotics
#amr #antibiotic resistance #microbiology #public health #NAO #medicine #hospitals
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