First Report - The antimicrobial potential of bacteriophages

The government supports the principle of phage education but states that medical and veterinary training standards and curricula are the responsibility of independent statutory bodies (GMC, RCVS, and schools), thereby deflecting responsibility. It does not address the recommendation to review phages within AMR plans or NIHR/UKHSA engagement.

The government states it has committed to establishing general clinical trial acceleration networks with funding, but does not specifically address responding to the Phage Knowledge Transfer Network's proposals or developing a phage-specific knowledge sharing network or biobanks.

The government supports the principle of education and training on phages but redirects responsibility for medical and veterinary training standards and curricula to the independent General Medical Council, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and medical schools.

The government supports training on phage therapy but redirects responsibility for medical and veterinary training standards to the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), stating they determine curriculum content.

The government indicates DHSC should review current guidance for non-GMP phages, and MHRA is developing new non-binding advisory guidance for them. However, it does not address the recommendation to build a GMP facility or invest in existing spaces for phage production, nor the question of pharmaceutical company investment.

The government's response consists solely of a list of references and links, providing no specific textual reply or commitment regarding guidance for GE phages or extracted phage enzymes.

The government states new non-binding advisory guidance on phage regulation is under development by MHRA, but the production of a monograph will be deferred until MHRA gains experience from this guidance.

The government reiterates that all medicines must be manufactured to GMP and states that new non-binding advisory guidance is under development by MHRA. However, the production of a monograph specifically for non-GMP phages, as recommended, will be deferred.

The government rejects the recommendation, stating that regulation for pharmacy practice is beyond the remit of the MHRA and that liability for unlicensed medicines currently rests with the prescriber.