3 ms·
Since new anti-biotic development is so critical, I don't get why the feds don't in-source it to the CDC or provide massive incentives already. This is an infu
by cantankerous 13y ago
Since new anti-biotic development is so critical, I don't get why the feds don't in-source it to the CDC or provide massive incentives already. This is an infuriating problem that should've been dealt with decades ago on the R&D-funding front.
- snowwrestler 13y agoAs I understand it, the problem is more fundamental than that. Antibiotics were originally discovered accidentally, and a lot of subsequent antibiotics were discovered/created by investigating and extending the mechanisms of the original discoveries. We're now running out of those implications to chase down. To get the "next breakthrough" in antibiotics will require another surprise discovery, or some other fundamental breakthrough in basic biological understanding.
- bbatchelder 13y agoLast I heard, the next breakthrough is expected to be the exploitation of quorum sensing. Tricking the bacteria into thinking there are already more than enough of them so they at least stop reproducing.
- DerpObvious 13y agoAnother use of interfering with quorum sensing is keeping bacteria docile, even when they've multiplied to levels where they could be threatening to the host.
- protomyth 13y agoAt one point[1], I heard that there were 3 new anti-biotics in development at various drug companies. It was my understanding that, like the lyme disease vaccine, they would probably not bring them to production given the current regulatory environment. I would imagine if it all goes to heck, then they would probably move forward. 1) its been a number of years so this might not be accurate anymore if it once was