UK chief medical officer warns of antibiotic resistance risk

Antibiotic resistance has been described as one of the greatest threats to modern health in a recent speech by UK chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies.

Speaking as part of European Antibiotic Awareness Day, the professor has called for urgent action on a national, EU and international level to make sure these treatments are used sensibly.

She noted that many antibiotics are prescribed and used for mild infections when they are not needed, which increases the risk of bacteria developing resistance to them – a problem that is exacerbated by a lack of new antibiotics in development.

Potential risks associated with the emergence of resistance include increased deaths from infections, added dangers in routine medical procedures such as heart surgery and the spread of an untreatable form of gonorrhoea.

The chief medical officer said: "Antibiotics are losing their effectiveness at a rate that is both alarming and irreversible – similar to global warming. I urge patients and prescribers to think about the drugs they are requesting and dispensing."

European Antibiotic Awareness Day is marked annually on November 18th and is spearheaded by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.