198: Let's Talk: The Evolution of AST

Season 5 premieres today!  Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is essential for guiding effective treatment—but how has it evolved, and what challenges are we still facing? In the first episode of this series in collaboration with bioMérieux, Dr. Andrea Prinzi joins Let's Talk Micro to explore the evolution of AST—from early methods to modern platforms like VITEK 2. We discuss the known issue of outdated breakpoints in clinical practice, the challenges with regulatory hurdles, and the impact of the 21st Century Cures Act. What is the Cures Act, and how does it affect the way breakpoints are adopted? Why are delays still happening? And most importantly—what can laboratories, organizations, and manufacturers do to drive change? Tune in to understand where we've been, where we are, and where we need to go in the world of AST.   This episode is sponsored by bioMérieux, a global innovator in infectious disease diagnostics.   Resources from bioMérieux: https://info.biomerieux.com/clin_us_2024_ams_handbook?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show-notes&utm_campaign=LetsTalkMicro Additional breakpoint links: https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.00106-25   Check out the website: https://www.letstalkmicro.com/ Questions? Feedback? Send those to [email protected] Want to support the podcast? Here's how: Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/letstalkmicro Buy me a Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/letstalkmicro