Doris-Ann Williams MBE
Chief Executive, British In Vitro Diagnostics Association
Tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is truly like fighting a monster with many heads — AMR is a global threat, much like climate change with many causes and no single solution even for each country.
Diagnostic tests are an important tool to help reduce AMR. These tests are done on samples from the body such as blood, urine or saliva. While the tests are typically done in hospital laboratories, they may now be performed in other settings and by trained professionals other than a scientist.
Finding the source of infection
Since our population has become used to testing themselves as a way of getting back to normal as the Covid-19 pandemic waned, there is a greater awareness of the role of diagnostic tests in healthcare.
Treating infectious diseases and infection from wounds are the major uses for antibiotics, and we are seeing increasing pockets of resistance, even with antibiotics which have been saved to use as a last resort. This means diagnostic tests to identify which organisms are responsible for the infection are critical. Once identified, the patient can be treated with the right antibiotic, which not only helps reduce antibacterial resistance but also stops the infection and helps prevent sepsis.
Diagnostic tests can also help doctors find specific infections that could spread within hospitals.
Early diagnostic tests
Antibiotic prescription is often expected by patients in primary care settings. Hopefully, the knowledge we have gained from the Covid-19 pandemic will help people understand why this expectation can’t be met — for example, if the cause of a respiratory infection is viral. This means testing needs to be done at the GP or locally, such as in a community pharmacy.
Changes to the way the NHS allocates funding from July this year, at least in England, should also mean NHS funds are accessible for diagnostic testing in the community. The diagnostic tests provide information to support doctors in making decisions on the right treatment.
Diagnostic tests can also help doctors find specific infections that could spread within hospitals. When these infections take hold, wards must be closed for deep cleaning. This causes a knock-on effect on admissions and surgery. Meaning, being able to find people with these ‘bugs’ using diagnostic tests before admission (or at A&E) can be lifesaving. Information is power, and in helping control AMR, diagnostic tests are the way to produce the essential information doctors need to make the right treatment decisions for patients.