The National Prescribing Service (NPS) has urged the Federal Government to act on the growing “anti-biotic-resistance crisis” facing the Australian community. 

 

In her address to the National Press Club in Canberra, NPS Board Chair Dr Janette Randall described the growing, cross sector issue of antibiotic resistance as a pressing issues, saying it involves veterinary, agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

 

Industry and health researchers must be supported to invest in R&D and the development of new antibiotics.  New mechanisms to fund drug development and bring new antibiotics to market through innovative reimbursement models are urgently needed,” Dr Randall said.

 

“We need to take action at all levels – individuals, health professionals, communities, media, industry and government. We must act strongly, and we must act now.”

 

Dr Randall warned that without urgent and intelligent action to curb growing antibiotic resistance, we may face a world without effective treatment, where bacteria are smarter, more virulent and cause nastier and more complex infections.

 

“Data shows that the timeline between a new antibiotic becoming available and the development of resistance to that antibiotic is getting shorter and shorter,” Dr Randall warned.

 

“We are facing a world where infections from something as simple as a scratch have the potential to kill and where common illnesses once again become serious or untreatable and carry a higher risk of complications and death.”

 

Dr Randall’s speech coincides with the launch of an NPS consumer campaign aimed at addressing the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in Australia.

 

“We are asking all Australians to become resistance fighters and join the fight against antibiotic resistance and we are supporting this campaign with other tools and resources to help change attitudes and behaviours towards antibiotic use,” Dr Randall said.  

 

“We have an ambitious goal to reduce antibiotic prescribing by 25% in five years. This will bring Australia in line with the OECD average of defined daily dose of antibiotics per capita/per day and give us a real chance to reduce the incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the Australian community.

 

“To help us achieve this, we are working with GPs, pharmacists, nurses and other health professionals to promote the use of best-practice guidelines for infections, encourage symptomatic management of colds and flu, and to facilitate better patient conversations when discussing antibiotic resistance and the correct use of antibiotics,” said Dr Randall.

 

A full copy of Dr Janette Randall’s speech is available via the NPS website.