Are Discovering New Antibiotics Fast Enough?

John Broughall, (pronounced as in a pub “brawl”), will discuss the issue of why the antibiotic development pipeline has dried up: what are the problems and why the pharmaceutical industry is not investing in research and development to produce new compounds. Multi-drug antibiotic resistance has been recognised as a global threat to health yet the solutions to this issue are not obvious, the current commercially driven pharmaceutical process does not appear fit for purpose. The potential implications for health care in the future could be devastating and unfortunately antibiotic resistant bacteria do not recognize national boundaries.

John is a PhD microbiologist who has spent most of his career in the diagnostics industry including the development of rapid and automated methods for use in microbiology laboratories. Latterly he has worked in the medical departments of two major pharmaceutical companies focusing on both antibiotics and also new oncology compounds, he now runs his own consultancy business and gives talks on the issue of antibiotic resistance.

£5 on the door to cover costs, with extra raised going to The Against Malaria Foundation, where 100% of the money raised goes towards insecticidal nets, and who are the top rated charity at Givewell, The Life You Can Save, and Giving What You Can.