Simply prescribing fewer antibiotics and finding new drugs could spell “disaster” in the battle against antibiotic resistance, a UK researcher has warned.

Dr Ben Raymond (PhD) of the University of Exeter says that while these are important steps, a more radical approach is needed to combat resistance, which can become widespread to a new drug in just 2-3 years.

He’s outlined five rules to promote the “sustainable use” of antibiotics in order to manage microbial resistance, in a study published in the journal Evolutionary Applications.

“Even if we can keep finding new drugs, disaster will follow if we use them in the same way as we use current ones,” he says.