MICROBIOLOGY
Mast has recently been selected for the Innovate UK Global Business Innovation programme focused on Antimicrobial Resistance in Sweden. The programme fosters innovation and collaboration between UK companies and Swedish partners. As a pioneer in antibiotic susceptibility testing and diagnostic solutions, Mast is well positioned to contribute to the programme’s goals which align with its core mission of advancing solutions to combat AMR. The programme includes a six-day innovation tour of Sweden, a recognised leader in the global fight against AMR, with a robust national strategy and ongoing efforts to raise awareness, improve antibiotic stewardship, and promote innovative solutions.
Inadequate diagnostic infrastructure limits the ability to monitor and respond to AMR effectively, with under-resourced laboratories having limited capability to conduct timely surveillance and patient testing.
Sally Davies highlighted whilst speaking at The Royal College of Pathologists, diagnostic laboratories are often under resourced in these regions, limiting their capability to conduct timely surveillance and patient testing.3
Innovative technologies, such as rapid diagnostics, are promising but need to be scaled globally to make a substantial impact. Diagnostics that allow the identification of infections and their resistance patterns within an hour, have the potential to transform clinical decision-making if implemented on a larger scale.3
Antimicrobial stewardship Antimicrobial stewardship refers to coordinated interventions to improve and measure the appropriate use of antimicrobials by promoting optimal drug regimens, including dosing, duration, and administration route. The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has developed guidelines on antimicrobial stewardship, which aim to modify prescribing practices to slow AMR emergence and ensure antibiotics remain effective treatments.4 Professor Clare Chandler, Professor of Medical Anthropology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine discussed how in the UK, stewardship efforts have successfully reduced the overuse of antibiotics in hospitals, partly through collaboration between pharmacists and clinicians. However, many LMICs lack the infrastructure, trained personnel, and regulatory frameworks necessary to implement stewardship programmes, leading to common issues of over-the-counter antibiotic sales and self-medication.
AMR as a social and economic issue
AMR extends beyond clinical and microbiological concerns, highlighting the need for a societal and systemic approach. For example, antibiotics are often used as a ‘quick fix’ for broader systemic issues, such as inadequate sanitation, and play a critical role in the economic productivity of both human and animal health systems. The economic implications of AMR
are significant. WHO estimates that AMR could cost an additional $150 billion in healthcare expenses and result in the annual loss of $150 billion to $200 billion in global GDP if left unchecked.2 Global cooperation is essential to tackling AMR. The UK government’s action plan, ‘Confronting Antimicrobial Resistance 2024 to 2029’, promotes a One Health approach across human, animal, and environmental health sectors to safeguard antimicrobial effectiveness.5
Outlook from Mast In summary, addressing AMR requires a multifaceted approach prioritising diagnostics, stewardship, and international collaboration. Diagnostics play a central role in this fight by informing stewardship efforts that mitigate AMR’s impact on society and health systems. At Mast Group we are committed to playing our part in the essential global cooperation required to tackle AMR. Mast leads the way in antimicrobial stewardship with its broad AST and AMR portfolio, supporting LMICs with cost-effective, simple diagnostics whilst championing the innovative development of essential tools to realise the next generation of effective diagnostics.
WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM FEBRUARY 2025
References 1 World Health Organization. Antimicrobial
resistance. (WHO, 2023) https://www.
who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ antimicrobial-resistance
2 World Bank Group. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). (World Bank, 2024)
https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/ health/brief/antimicrobial-resistance-amr
3 Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System. Diagnostic stewardship: a guide to implementation in antimicrobial resistance surveillance sites. (WHO, 2016) https://www.who. int/publications/i/item/WHO-DGO- AMR-2016.3
4 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Antimicrobial stewardship: systems and processes for effective antimicrobial medicine use. (NICE, 2015)
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng15
5 UK Government. Confronting antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029. (
GOV.co.uk, 2024)
https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/uk-5-year-action-plan-for- antimicrobial-resistance-2024-to-2029/ confronting-antimicrobial-resistance-2024- to-2029
Carmel Aldridge is a Portfolio Development Lead for the Microbiology portfolio at Mast Group, a world leading manufacturer and global supplier of in vitro diagnostic products. She specialises in antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) detection and has successfully developed and commercialised key diagnostics products supporting antibiotic stewardship. A microbiologist and biochemist with over 18 years of diverse experience in clinical diagnostics from a technical and commercial perspective, she is committed to driving innovative solutions that combat the growing threat of AMR.
www.mast-group.com/uk/products/amr 39
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