BBC World Service Online

Business Daily

Factual: Money

The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.

Business Daily: Drug Resistant Diseases

Bulletins

Drug resistance ibroadcast.jpg

21/10/2016 GMT

Drug Resistant Diseases

BBC World Service - Business Daily, Drug Resistant Diseases

Is the growing resistance of infections to medicines the biggest threat facing humanity?

Is the growing resistance of many infections to antibiotics and other medicines the biggest threat facing humanity? Ed Butler speaks to businesses hoping to offer solutions.

Is the growing resistance of many fatal infections to antibiotics and other medicines the biggest threat facing humanity?

Presenter Ed Butler speaks to economist Jim O'Neill, who led a review into anti-microbial resistance over the past two years that culminated in a UN resolution last month to tackle the problem. He claims 10 million people a year could be dying from resistant diseases by mid-century.

Ed also hears from businessmen hoping to offer some solutions. Don Straus explains how his firm First Light Biosciences is pioneering a way of better diagnosing infections in order to avoid overprescribing antibiotics. Meanwhile Shawn Iadonato of another biotech firm, Kineta, aims to guide the body's own immune system to attack these emerging killer strains.

(Picture: A baby receives treatment for malaria in Indonesia, where the disease is becoming resistant to anti-malaria medicines; Credit: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)

BBC World Service

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Business Daily

Drug Resistant Diseases

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Online

About BBC World Service