Diagnosing resistance

It might be a day late and a dollar short, but the U.S. government is finally getting around to addressing what many experts think is the big unserved need in antibiotic resistance-new diagnostics. Faster, more sensitive and versatile diagnostic technologies that can keep up with the emergence of resistant strains are needed both for improving treatment and optimizing clinical trials.

"Diagnostics are the key. It is just that we are far away from that right now and need to stimulate that," said Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at a hearing last month about antibiotic resistance held by the U.S. House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health...