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Search for tool to determine between bacterial & viral infections to fight antimicrobial resistance has won £10m Longitude prize. One of the problems contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the lack of a simple test to tell doctors when an infection is caused by bacteria and should be treated by antibiotics. Incorrect use of antibiotics to treat viral infections gives bacteria the chance to develop resistance (without providing any benefit to the individual) and so later down the line, when you really do need an antibiotic, there might not be one that works. 5,000 people die each year in the UK from antibiotic resistant infections.
In a second press release, the PM wants Britain to lead the way, using its international leadership & world-class pharmaceutical sector to battle against antimicrobial resistant infections and bring new drugs to the world market. No new classes of antibiotics have come on the market for more than 25 years. Mr Cameron has commissioned a wide reaching independent review, co-funded & hosted by the Wellcome Trust, to explore the economic issues surrounding antimicrobial resistance.
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