What got you interested in antimicrobial resistance? I read in a UK government report that by 2050, antimicrobial resistance will kill more people than cancer and cost more money than the current size of the world's economy. Even routine medical procedures could become hazardous. And that's before considering catastrophes in food production. How does antimicrobial resistance affect food? In many countries, antibiotics are used in low doses to promote growth and enable farmed animals to be kept in close quarters. For example, if you buy a farmed salmon today from North America, chances are it will have eaten a greater weight of antibiotics during its life than its own body weight. These practices are perfect for boosting resistance in microbes. If resistance spreads, entire industries and animal populations could collapse. I looked at all this and realised that even if there was a billion-dollar fund for new antibiotics, it would not sort out the problem; it might just buy us an extra decade. We need a new approach - a step change like the one antibiotics gave us when they first came in.
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