CRI听力:Pharm Companies in China and India Could Play a Key Role in Combating Superbug

The special research team lead by Jim O'Neill has published its third report on Antimicrobial Resistance, with a focus on boosting commercial investment in the research of new antibiotic drugs.

The report, released in London on Thursday, gave three major recommendations, including setting up a global innovation fund and committing lump-sum payments to successful drug developers.

O'Neill completed a trip to China and India in late March. He says he and his team are happy to see more involvement from developing countries, as the fight against increasingly drug-resistant bacteria needs a global effort.

"Because we think it is a global problem requiring a global solution. We want to encourage environment where new pharmaceutical companies in the emerging markets to play their role in this. We meet some very impressive diagnostic companies in China and India, so when it comes to the next stage of our research where we make specific recommendations of state of the art technologies to improve the source of drugs that people use, we already think they can play a key role."

He also expressed hope that the issue can be included in the discussions when China hosts the G20 Summit in 2016.

"We went to China in March for two main reasons, one was for us to learn about the many specific challenges, and the second reason was for me to meet with a number of Chinese policy makers particularly those involved in international economic policy to encourage them to explore the idea of treating antimicrobial resistance as a priority for when China hosts the G20 next year. And I have to also say we were very encouraged by the responses our suggestions got."

O'Neill was appointed by UK Prime Minister David Cameron to chair the special mission to tackle antimicrobial resistance. The group's previous report warns that without action, drug-resistant superbugs will cause 10 million deaths every year by 2050, more than the total caused by all cancers combined.

In addition to immediate attention from governments and the pharmaceutical industry, Jim O'Neill also emphasizes the need to raise public awareness to prevent misuse of antibiotics.

"We are going to come up with some what might seem radical but specifically focused public campaign in different countries. Because I'm familiar with WeChat, so what China can do, different than in India, maybe a major campaign educating young people on the issue actively using WeChat."

For CRI, I'm Duan Xuelian in London