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Drug companies should be nationalized to fix antibiotics market problem: top UK antibiotics advisor says

Drug companies should be nationalized to fix antibiotics market problem: top UK antibiotics advisor says

THE GUARDIAN | Lord Jim O’Neill says he has grown so frustrated with the ‘endless talk and no action’ on the antibiotic threat that he suggests that nationalised or state-run “utility” drug companies may be the only answer to the lack of investment in new antibiotics. The drastic measure would be intended to ensure that the development and production of new antibiotics were not at the mercy of capitalist market forces. The global industry body, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), said O’Neill’s suggestion  had “little to commend it … Rather than wasting time running after new pipe dreams, we call for a big push to sort out the incentives that have broad consensus – fast – before we give up,” it said in a statement to Reuters.

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