BBC News: Pharma ‘cash call’ for new antibiotics
“More than 80 pharmaceutical companies have called on governments to develop new ways of paying them to develop antibiotics. In a joint declaration, at the World Economic Forum, they said the value of antibiotics ‘does not reflect the benefits they bring to society’…” (Gallagher, 1/21).

Financial Times: Drugmakers call for collective action on superbugs
“…The top five drugmakers by market capitalization — Johnson & Johnson, Roche, Novartis, Pfizer, and Merck — were among more than 80 pharmaceuticals and diagnostics companies that signed the call for collective action. Others included AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, and Sanofi, in a sign of growing consensus among ‘big pharma’ over the need for new approaches to the development and marketing of antibiotics…” (Ward, 1/21).

New York Times: To Fight ‘Superbugs,’ Drug Makers Call for Incentives to Develop Antibiotics
“…The number of new antibiotics being approved has dwindled over the last two decades, because of scientific challenges but also financial ones. Many big pharmaceutical companies, including some of those that signed the new declaration, have de-emphasized or dropped development of antibiotics for business reasons…” (Pollack, 1/20).

Reuters: Drug firms ask governments to join fight against superbugs
“…The 83 pharmaceutical companies and eight industry groups urged governments around the world to commit money ‘to provide appropriate incentives…for companies to invest in R&D to overcome the formidable technical and scientific challenges of antibiotic discovery and development’…” (Kelland/Hirschler, 1/20).

Wall Street Journal: Drug and Diagnostic Companies Issue Joint Declaration on Antibiotics
“…Signatories to the declaration said breaking the link between revenue for new antibiotics and the amount of use would help address this problem, as would mitigating the financial risk for developers. They said possible approaches included giving developers a lump sum for launching a new antibiotic or insurance-like payments to companies for supplying innovative drugs…” (Roland, 1/20).