Ask for evidence on antimicrobial products and policies

Antibiotic resistance and ‘superbugs’ have in the last few years become a focus of research efforts and public health campaigns. When there’s a focus on an issue like this we often see products being promoted and policies put in place in response. But are these claims evidence based or are we seeing public anxiety about superbugs used as a marketing tool? Lots of people have been asking and have let us know the responses they got.

Some of them have asked us whether the responses they get are good evidence. Which is where our Ask for Evidence partners come in. The Society for General Microbiology, the Society for Applied Microbiology and the journal Lancet: Infectious Diseases have volunteered their scientists to help tell us what kind of evidence they would expect to see for products and policies and to help people make sense of the evidence they get.

• Read Dr Jon Otter explaining how antimicrobial surfaces from tea, wine and chocolate are promising - but a long way off
• Healthcare scientist Laura Macdonald sets the record straight on the risk of 'dirty' stethoscopes.

We’re putting more evidence hunting stories online over the next few days. So check back here tomorrow or follow #AskforEvidence on Twitter and Facebook to see what the evidence is behind silver infused socks, bacteria killing curtains and more.