title: The role of the pharmaceutical industry in meeting the public health threat of antibacterial resistance.
abstract: The established market model for pharmaceutical products, as for most other products, is heavily dependent on sales volumes. Thus, it is a primary interest of the producer to sell large quantities. This may be questionable for medicinal products and probably most questionable for antibacterial remedies. For these products, treatment indications are very complex and encompass both potential patient benefits, possible adverse effects in the actual patient and, which is unique for this therapeutic class, consideration about what effects the drug use will have on the future therapeutic value of the drug. This is because bacteria are sure to develop resistance. The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) agrees with the general description of the antibacterial resistance problem and wants to participate in measures to counteract antibacterial resistance. Stakeholders should forge an alliance that will address the need for and prudent use of new antibiotics. A variety of incentives probably have to be applied, but having all in common that the financial return has to be separated from the use of the product.
authors.affiliation: European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), Leopold Plaza Building, Rue de Trône 108, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. richard.bergstrom@lif.se
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bergström
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics; D055808:Drug Discovery; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007449:Investments / Q000191:economics; D058873:Pandemics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012109:Research Support as Topic
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents