The Times has today published our letter urging the government to support the urgent development of  desperately needed new antibiotics:

November 5 2011 12:01AM
The dearth of new antibiotics threatens the management of superbugs and the success of many routine treatments

Sir,

The NHS faces a grave situation because of a serious shortage of new antibiotics. As these drugs are part of many routine medical interventions this could have severe implications for the success of future medical and surgical treatments, as well as the management of cancer patients who frequently succumb to infection. We are seeking support from government to prevent a public health crisis.

More than 3,000 clinicians, researchers and scientists have signed a petition launched by Antibiotic Action (http://antibiotic-action.com) urging the Government to allow acceleration of the licensing process for new antibiotics in the same way that regulatory procedures were fast-tracked to allow the speedy introduction of new antiviral therapies for the treatment of HIV/Aids. It is also vital that new ways of promoting public-private-philanthropic partnerships are identified for the discovery, research and development of new antibiotics.

Fewer and fewer antibiotics are being developed. Since 2008, 75 per cent fewer agents (than between 1983 and 1987) were approved by the regulatory authorities for clinical use, and this has happened at a time when new and effective antibiotics are needed more than ever because of resistance to antibiotics currently in use. If so few new cancer or cardiology drugs were under development today, there would be a justifiable outcry.

The dearth of new antibiotics reaching the marketplace today potentially threatens not only the management of superbugs but also the success of many routine treatments and procedures. Without modern antibiotics, we face a situation where simple infections could become life-threatening. Routine 21st-century medicine, including cancer chemotherapy, transplant surgeries and joint replacements could become impossible. It is imperative that antibacterial drug discovery, research and development are resurrected to ensure there are new drugs for patients.

Professor Laura J. V. Piddock (President, British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy)

Martin Astbury (President, The Royal Pharmaceutical Society)

Professor Peter Davey 
Dr Ian Morrissey

Dr Matthew Dryden

Professor Kate Gould

Dr Gavin Barlow

Dr Kieran Hand

Professor Alasdair MacGowan

Dr Keith Miller

Dr Jayshree Dave

Dr Wendy Lawson

Dr Mandy Wootton

Dr Michael Cooper

Dr Frances Burke

Dr Andrew Stacey

Dr Cliodna McNulty, UK Chapter Lead, Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics

Dr Alan Johnson, Editor-In-Chief, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy