Thread by @RickABright

🧵1/Most people don’t know that everyday cuts & infections can lead to life threatening sepsis, amputation or death

New, rapid diagnostic tests are available to get the right treatment early, but docs need to start using them

insider.com/rick-bright-wa… @thisisinsider @Hilarx #AMR

2/ Failure to accurately diagnose bacteria / fungi early, often leads to delayed / wrong treatment. Every minute of delay increases severity of the infection; it’s spreading in your body

Wrong meds can make the problem worse for you & for the world, increasing drug resistance

3/ We are losing the battle against drug resistant bacteria & fungi. Fewer drugs work on every day infections. More people are dying of sepsis. R&D funds for new drugs is shrinking.

It’s truly a silent pandemic that is closing around us.

4/ Important for us:
1. Be aware of ⬆️ risk; it can happen to YOU
2. Seek treatment early; don’t delay to see if gets better, it won’t
3. Demand your doc use rapid diagnostic test (not 3-5 day culture); get right drug early
4. Use all your meds, don’t save for other infection

5/ Important for hospitals/healthcare staff:
1. Test to treat, don’t guess
2. Update diagnostic capability; break the culture of delayed culture tests
3. THINK SEPSIS; there are ways to confirm quickly
4. Educate self & patients about AMR
@IDSAInfo @SepsisAlliance

6/ Govt/NGO/Cos:
1. ⬆️ awareness #AMR #Sepsis
2. Fund R&D; accelerate new diagnostics/drugs/vaccines
3. Fund sustainable models; ensure drugs accessible, affordable, available
4. Update reimbursement models for value
5. Incentivize early, correct treatment, not cheapest
@CMSGov

END/ Together, we can #SolveSepsis, ⬇️threat of #AMR, #SaveLives
@BARDA @CMSinnovates @WHOSTP @Wellcome_AMR @AMRActionFund @Trin_AMR_action @gardp_amr @AMRAlliance @GlobalAMRHub @EndSepsis @SepsisAlliance @NIAIDFunding @FINDdx @PhRMA @AdvaMedUpdate @gatesfoundation @g20org @G7