Evolving concepts of pharmaceutical company-sponsored surveillance studies

As a result of increasing bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents, there is a need to conduct studies that monitor changes in susceptibility. In addition to studying the emergence and dissemination of antibacterial resistance, pharmaceutical companies perform surveillance studies for a number of reasons. As an example, the Alexander Project was conducted to study community-acquired respiratory infections internationally over 10 years. The project's findings have been valuable in the study of antimicrobial resistance. The Alexander Project has also been instrumental in the study of the evolution of resistance genes and in predictions of future rates of resistance, as well as in establishing the importance of high-quality data, the complexity of the evolution of resistance, and the need to disseminate the results in a variety of formats. Although there has been a reduction in pharmaceutical company studies, consolidated efforts between industry, government, and private groups have increased. Future surveillance efforts by pharmaceutical companies will likely be more targeted and disease directed.