There are not many times when a single social media post can trigger a snowball effect which leads to a significant change in the law.
For example, only 103,647 full treatment courses were procured of Tigecycline across eight countries - far short of the 1.5 million patients who needed them, the study found. This highlighted a major shortfall in the global response to drug-resistant infections.What prevents patients with drug-resistant infections in India from getting the right antibiotics?
Physicians point to multiple barriers - reaching the right health facility, getting accurate diagnostic tests, and accessing effective drugs. Cost remains a major hurdle, with many of these antibiotics priced far beyond the reach of poorer patients."Those who can afford these antibiotics often overuse them; those who can't, don't get them at all," says Dr Gaffar. "We need a system that ensures access for the poor and prevents misuse by the well-to-do."To improve access, these drugs must be made more affordable. To prevent misuse, stronger regulation is key.
"Ideally, every antibiotic prescription in hospitals should require a second sign-off - by an infection specialist or microbiologist," says Dr Gaffar. "Some hospitals do this, but most don't. With the right oversight, regulators can ensure this becomes standard practice."To fix the access problem and curb misuse, both smarter policies and stronger safeguards are essential, say researchers. But access alone won't solve the crisis - the pipeline of new antibiotics is drying up. The decline in antibiotic R&D - and the limited availability of existing drugs - is a global issue.
(AMR), but it may also hold the key to combating it - both at home and globally, researchers say.
"India is also one of the largest markets for new antibiotics and can successfully advocate for the development and access of new antibiotics," says Dr Cohn. With a strong pharmaceutical base, the country is emerging as a hub for AMR innovation, fromThe report for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) analysed farm incomes.
Letting out buildings was the most common, followed by farm shops and B&Bs, camping and glamping sites.Spas, wellness clinics, sports and health retreats also feature.
A new, more controversial, source of income is letting out fields to solar power companies.The report laid bare how much farmers rely on these new income streams.