THE FEDERAL government is using the enormous financial power of Medicare to penalize hospitals where patients are harmed by medical mistakes. The new policy may require refinement, but it puts US hospitals on notice that they have got to work harder to make sure patients do not suffer needless harm while under their care.

The report produced by the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC), highlights the ever growing problem of antibiotic resistance. The report also urges greater awareness and monitoring of the problem, more prudent use of antibiotics, more effective containment of the spread of resistance and greater cooperation and coordination across Europe.

"Antibiotics and Drug Resistance 2007 " report carries the latest published figures on antibiotic resistance, from more than 35 countries obtained from sources such as the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System in Europe, the Health Protection Agency in the UK, the Active Bacterial Core surveillance Project in the US, and China's National Center for Antimicrobial Resistance. These figures show increasing levels of antibiotic resistance worldwide. This report estimates that hospital-acquired infections in the developed world costs more than $32.5 billion, higher than current global sales on antibiotics

Bio Mérieux , the french pharmaceutical company, has recently launched a new rapid detection test for C.difficile A and B toxin. This new test provides results within 75 minutes, compared to the 24 to 48 hours by more classical reference tests now in use. This new test will allow for better therapeutic decision, and patient's isolation if requested.