April 11, 2014
A roundup of news on drug resistance and other topics in global health.
The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) met last Friday to discuss the threat of antibiotic resistance. Eric Lander, the Council’s co-chair, emphasized the need to address the problem by taking advantage of new technologies, limiting antibiotic use on farms and boosting innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. A webcast of the meeting can be viewed here. [Wired , TV Worldwide]
Urgent attention is needed to address healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and extensively drug-resistant organisms, according to CARE-ID Director Steve Poretz. [Washington Post]
Bloomberg s In the Loop explores new methods being used to combat malaria, including an infrared spectroscopy method that can detect a single malaria parasite at an early life stage in a microliter of red blood cells. [Bloomberg, Chemical & Engineering News]
A recently discovered class of metallopolymers large, metal-containing molecules have been found to be effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, according to a recent report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. [R&D]
A paper published in Chemistry & Biology this week by researchers at North Carolina State University identifies an enzyme, kirromycin, that acts as a specialized wrench in the creation of antibiotics. The researchers hope to modify the enzyme to enable the development of stronger, more adaptable and customizable antibiotics. [R&D]
A proposed policy in South Africa could place more restrictions on the use of antibiotics. The government is seeking to cut down on overuse (which often occurs through the frequent prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics) by requiring doctors to take cultures before prescribing so they can more accurately identify and treat the illness with narrow-spectrum antibiotics. [AllAfrica]
The Atlantic discusses how a small town in Nevada known for having the most significant childhood cancer cluster in US history has become case study in outbreak investigation. [The Atlantic]
After analyzing the results of previously unpublished clinical trials, Oxford, UK-based Cochrane Collaboration holds that governments around the world have wasted billions of dollars by stockpiling Tamiflu for use in seasonal and pandemic flu. [BBC]
In light of recent federal legislation drafted with the aim of encouraging innovation in the field of antibiotics, venture capital firm Atlas Venture s new biotech company Spero is focusing on developing treatments for bacterial infections. [Boston Business Journal]
