Do we really need new anti-infective drugs?

Nosocomial infections continue to be important causes of morbidity and mortality in modern hospitals. The large volume and often excessive use of antimicrobial agents, particularly in critical care settings, has led to the emergence of pathogens that are resistant to virtually all available antimicrobial agents. Moreover, patients infected with organisms that are susceptible to one or more agents might not tolerate those agents, leaving physicians with no therapeutic options. Finally, the need to move patients out of the hospital, and thereby avoid nosocomial infections, has created an ever-growing need for antimicrobial agents whose pharmacokinetic profiles favour a single daily dosing that can be administered at home.