November Event to Discuss How Society Can Slow Down the Rise of Superbugs

NUI Galway’s Centre for One Health will host a free public event, ‘Resistance Rebellion – The Rise of Superbugs’ on Monday, 18 November at 7pm in the Orbsen Building at NUI Galway. The event coincides with European Antibiotic Awareness Day.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria, often called “superbugs” are appearing and spreading all over the world. These mutant bacteria grow and spread quickly because of choices people make about the use of antibiotics, such as using antibiotics when they are not needed, and the control of spread of infection.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to human health. It is estimated that by 2050, 10 million deaths per year will be due to antibiotic resistant infections unless the world takes action now (according to the Review of Antimicrobial Resistance commissioned by the UK government in July 2014). Society has a role to play in making sure antibiotics are used in the right way to secure their use for our children and our grandchildren.

Dr Dearbháile Morris, Co-Director of the Ryan Institute Centre for One Health and Head of Discipline of Bacteriology, School of Medicine, NUI Galway, says: “European Antibiotic Awareness Day is a reminder of how much the discovery of antibiotics has helped us all to live longer and healthier lives, but also of how much is at stake if we do not act to safeguard antibiotics. If we do not have antibiotics that work, certain types of surgery and cancer treatments will become almost impossible to perform safely. We can safeguard antibiotics by making sure we only use them when we need them, by making sure we complete the dose as directed by the doctor, by not sharing antibiotics with others and by making sure we bring back any unused antibiotics to the pharmacy for correct disposal.”

The free event will give everyone the opportunity to meet and discuss with experts what society can do to solve the problem of antibiotic resistance. Speakers include NUI Galway’s Professor Martin Cormican, HSE National Clinical Lead on Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control and Ms Caroline Garvan, Superintending Veterinary Inspector in the Antimicrobial Resistance division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine.

Professor Cormican and Ms Garvan will talk about how antibiotics are becoming less useful in both human and veterinary medicine and will highlight the One Health concept, which recognises that human health is linked to the health of animals and the environment that humans share with them.

To register for this free event please click here.

For further details, contact Dr Dearbháile Morris at dearbhaile.morris@nuigalway.ie.

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