Drug firms seek incentives to develop new antibiotics

MANILA, Philippines -  Amid an alarming rise in cases of drug-resistant infections, the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) said yesterday the government should provide incentives to encourage the development of new antibiotics in the market.

“There will be a need to for incentives to encourage companies to invest in the infection area,” PHAP said while noting that the government should work closely with the group to bring out new classes of antibiotics.

PHAP said incentives such as tax credits, grants and liability protection should be given to offset the costs of development because the task of discovering new antibiotics “is not a simple” one due to the numerous scientific, regulatory and financial challenges.

Last week, the World Health Organization and the Department of Health expressed concern over the growing number of diseases already resistant to antibiotics.

Among these cases are an estimated 440,000 new multi-drug resistant tuberculosis cases in at least 58 countries; resistance to the frontline drug against malaria, artemisinin; resistance to last-line treatment for gonorrhea; and the growing number of hospital-acquired diseases due to “superbugs.”

PHAP said the best way to combat antimicrobial-resistant infections is by adhering to the call of the health officials to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics.

“The benefits to be gained by having a continuous pipeline of new antibiotics need to be complemented by ensuring that the medicines are prescribed appropriately and used properly,” the group said.