Sep 15, 2020
Dr. Oliver Schacht says that
antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious pandemic that needs as
much attention as COVID-19. In fact, 700,000 people now die
annually across the globe from AMR infections.
In this podcast, he addresses
Oliver Schacht, Ph.D., is the
Chief Executive Officer for both OpGen and Curetis and is an expert
in the molecular diagnostics industry. He addresses causes of
antimicrobial resistance and
antibiotic resistance mechanisms, but spends the majority of
the podcast explaining why it is a world-wide issue and what
solutions are available now and in the near future.
At the center of these solutions lies the need to identify the
species of
antibiotic resistant bacteria and its resistance factor
quickly. This means better, faster testing to insure more accurate
treatment and less over prescription of broad spectrum
antibiotics.
He adds that using broad
spectrum antibiotics aggressively to fight undiagnosed infections
leads to effective and rapid evolution of bacteria towards
resistant adaptations. He says that if we keep using these broad
spectrum antibiotics, some projections predict that by the year
2050 we may have 10 million deaths a year from these infections
globally.
He details the history of testing and explains why the technology
has lagged. In a nutshell, we're still doing what we have been
doing for 150 years, which requires significant time for cultures
to grow and test.
He then explains how OpGen and
other companies are developing rapid PCR tests as well as faster
and better next generation sequence testing. He predicts the cost
and timing for these will continue to decline and that will only
improve the quality and helpfulness of the testing.
Finally, he carries a global theme throw this discussion,
explaining that this issue is analogous to climate change
alleviation: there's not a simple fix and the issue can't just be
handled locally—this requires a global approach to be effective.
Listen in for more details and discussion about these
issues.
For more, see the company's
website at opgen.com. In addition, they are active in all social
media outlets.
Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK