Development of Rapid Diagnostic Devices for Livestock, 2018-2019

The development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and the consequent prospect of future limits to medical treatments, continues to be a major public health concern. Use of antibiotics in livestock production is suggested as one of the routes for antimicrobial resistance to develop. Although policy initiatives and information campaigns have led to large reductions in antibiotic use by the UK livestock industry, further reductions are likely to require new approaches. Antibiotic use is sometimes necessary, leading to challenging decisions that balance the immediate health and welfare of animals against the longer-term risk of AMR. Using rapid, or pen-side diagnostics for more discriminating use of antibiotics in that sector has been advocated as a novel method of reducing the prospect for antimicrobial resistance to develop. A number of scientific developments have led to the growth in the number of innovative products that could be used for this purpose, many created in university spin-out companies. However, their use in the industry is limited to date. Our research sought to identify why this is the case.
The main objectives of the research were to:
• understand how to support the development of novel diagnostics to address antimicrobial
resistance in livestock.
• assess how diagnostic innovation can be facilitated by regulatory and governance systems.
• identify the key factors for ensuring uptake and developing successful markets for rapid
diagnostics.
The data set consists of telephone interviews with representatives of 13 diagnostic developers, industry bodies and government agency.
The research stems from a UK cross- research council initiative on antimicrobial resistance.