For a research based on value. The failed model of antibiotics

Cristina Roure

As we have commented on some occasion in this blog, neither the price nor the volume of investment in R&D of the medicines corresponds to the value they provide. Antibiotics, along with vaccines, have saved millions of lives, have allowed to address challenges such as transplants and complex surgeries with guarantees of success and, if this were not enough, they also add enormous value to the productivity of the agricultural sector.

Microbial resistance: a Triple Aim example

To continue "Antibiotics: resistance and costs" post, given the importance of the subject, in this post I want to present the template design that may be helpful to those responsible for infection control in hospitals.

In 2007 two American scientific societies published a guide to deploying Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASP) in health institutions. Five years later, three Spanish scientific societies adapted those guidelines and laid the foundations of the Programs for Optimizing Antimicrobials Use (PROA in Spanish).

These methodological developments are relevant because there is enough evidence to believe that management programs reduce antimicrobial resistance and costs. Therefore, with the rationalization (not rationing) of antimicrobial use we’re faced with a clear example of Triple Aim program. Remember that a Triple Aim program is a program that, in a balanced way, achieves three types of objectives: improved clinical outcomes, enhanced the patients’ experience and reduced costs.

Antibiotics: resistance and costs

The progressive power loss of antimicrobials against the most active microorganisms in infectious disease, especially in the hospital setting, makes systematic intervention absolutely necessary to optimize its prolonged use and its life, especially considering that there is sufficient evidence to think that with well-structured programs, we can reduce resistance and therefore solve very complicated clinical situations and in turn, lower the costs. A clear case of "Triple Aim", remember?: a) better quality, b) better outcomes, and c) lower costs.

What is ASP (PROA in Spanish)?