"Antibiotics are losing their effectiveness at a rate that is both alarming and irreversible", says chief medical officer

Antibiotic resistance is a threat to modern health and there could be a future without cures for infection if antibiotics are not used responsibly, the chief medical officer (CMO), Professor Dame Sally Davies has warned.

She stressed the need for urgent action now to ensure antibiotics are used in the right way, at the right dose and at the right time. This will help to slow down the development of antibiotic resistance.

Professor Dame Sally Davies 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. Bacteria are adapting and finding ways to survive the effects of antibiotics, ultimately becoming resistant so they no longer work. And the more you use an antibiotic, the more bacteria become resistant to it.”

The chief medical officer advises patients to:

• Do remember that antibiotics are important medicines and should only be taken when prescribed by a health professional.

• Do complete the prescribed course even if you feel better, as not taking the full course encourages the emergence of resistance.

• Do remember that antibiotics cannot help you recover from infections caused by viruses, such as common colds or flu, because antibiotics are effective only against bacterial infections.

• Don’t share your antibiotics with anyone else – they are prescribed for you only.

• Don’t forget that resistant bacteria don’t just infect you, they do spread to other people in close contact with you.

• Don’t forget that antibiotics can upset the natural balance of bacteria in your body. This allows other organisms to increase and can result in diarrhoea and thrush.

The UK is leading the way in responding to EU calls for action on the global problem of antibiotic resistance. Development of a new cross-Government Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy and Action plan will be published by the Department of Health next year.

The strategy will champion responsible use of antibiotics, and build on ongoing work to:

• Slow down the development of antibiotic resistance

• Maintain the efficacy of existing antibiotics

• Developing new antibiotics and alternative treatments

• Investigate the link between antibiotic use in animals and the food chain, and the spread of resistance in humans

• Minimise antibiotics entering the environment in other ways The Department of Health states that many antibiotics are prescribed and used for mild infections when they don’t need to be.

It stresses that there are very few new antibiotics in development, making it vital to use existing antibiotics wisely to ensure these life-saving medicines continue to stay effective for ourselves and future generations.