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Considerations for prioritising clinical research using bacteriophage

Edwards, Sarah JL; Tao, Yiran; Elias, Rodas; Schooley, Robert; (2024) Considerations for prioritising clinical research using bacteriophage. Essays in Biochemistry , Article EBC20240013. 10.1042/ebc20240013. (In press). Green open access

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Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global health threat, as it contributes to prolonged illness, higher mortality rates and increased healthcare costs. As traditional antibiotics become less effective, treatments such as bacteriophage therapy offer potential solutions. The question remains, however, on how to set research priorities in the face of a growing number of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, some common and/or dangerous. One standard way of making decisions about which research to prioritise is by using the disability-adjusted life year metric to estimate the current global impact of a disease or condition, combined with considerations of social justice although decisions made at a national level by governments, especially in low income countries with forecasting potential over future needs may look very different. Another approach is based on the needs of researchers and regulators given what we know about the technology itself. The biological characteristics of bacteriophage therapies set challenges to a universal and standardised prioritisation method. A proof of principle is still arguably needed. With a preliminary discussion of the scope and complexity of AMR and AMR therapeutics, we propose some implications of regulatory frameworks aiming to integrate bacteriophage therapy into mainstream medical practice while gathering scientific data on safety and efficacy, enhancing the collective action needed to combat AMR.

Type: Article
Title: Considerations for prioritising clinical research using bacteriophage
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1042/ebc20240013
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1042/ebc20240013
Language: English
Additional information: Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society and distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Keywords: Bacteriophages, Clinical trials, funding priorities, regulation
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > STEaPP
URI: https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10201158
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