Later this month (9 October), European health ministers will look at how financial incentives can be used to boost research into new antibiotics.
Governments are concerned that the effectiveness of current antibiotic medicines is on the wane, making the development of new drugs a matter of urgency.
Scientists have been engaged in an arms race against bacteria since the 1960s when the first strain of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was identified. Bacteria have evolved resistance to traditional antibiotics, forcing doctors to use harsher versions.
Experts are now worried that resistance to even the strongest antibacterials could emerge, forcing the cancellation of operations and the temporary closure of hospitals.
The problem is particularly acute in hospitals and nursing homes, where infections spread quickly between ill patients and can enter the bloodstream during surgery.
Sweden, which holds the EU's six-month rotating presidency, is pushing for tougher rules on the use of existing antibiotics, fearing that misuse will accelerate the development of resistance.
In a strongly-worded draft document, it says access to effective antibiotics is essential to stemming the spread of potentially lethal hospital bugs. Sweden wants EU countries to agree to a wide range of measures designed to keep current antibiotics available for as long as possible.
In addition, health ministers are keen to accelerate the development of alternative antibiotics, recognising the urgent need for new tools in the running battle with resistant hospital bugs.
If Swedish proposals are accepted, governments and the EU executive will have a year to come up with new incentives to attract public and private funding for R&D projects focused on developing new antibiotic medicines. Public-private partnerships will be one of the options on the table, as ministers seek to bring industry and academia together to tackle the problem.
Health ministers will have an initial discussion on the issue in October, with a view to signing off on concrete conclusions on 1 December.
Healthcare-associated infections contribute to the deaths of an estimated 110,000 people in Europe and cost around €5.5bn every year (EurActiv 24/03/09).
