Is Antimicrobial Resistance a Slowly Emerging Disaster?

• Oxford Journals
• Arts & Humanities & Medicine & Health
• Public Health Ethics
• Volume 8, Issue 3
• Pp. 255-265.

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1. A. M. Viens*

1. Southampton Law School, University of Southampton

1. ↵*Corresponding author: A. M. Viens, Centre for Health, Ethics and Law (HEAL), Southampton Law School, Building 4, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ; Email: A.M.Viens@Soton.ac.uk

1. Jasper Littmann

+Author Affiliations

1. Institute of Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel

Abstract

The problem of antimicrobial resistance is so dire that people are predicting that the era of antibiotics may be coming to an end, ushering in a ‘post-antibiotic’ era. A comprehensive policy response is therefore urgently needed. A part of this response will require framing the problem in such a way that adequately reflects its nature as well as encompassing an approach that has the best prospect of success. This paper considers framing the problem as a slowly emerging disaster, including its potential benefits and difficulties, from a conceptual and policy perspective.

• © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

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