Part of 1. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:34 pm on 7 February 2017.
Disease control and defence is an international matter that needs the fullest amount of international co-operation. Antimicrobial resistance has been an issue for some years. We’ve seen, for example, the emergence of drug-resistant strains of TB. We also see, for example, some conditions that even so-called last-resort antibiotics, such as vancomycin, haven’t been able to resolve. So, yes, it is a constant battle between humanity and microbes, if I can put it that way, to ensure that we don’t start to move backwards and find that there are no longer effective drugs to treat particular conditions. And, so, international co-operation is hugely important to make sure that we stay ahead of the game.