The threat of antibiotic resistance is large and looming. Drugs that once worked miracles are now failing to work at all as bacteria become resistant to them.

This could mean a future where a simple operation, a minor infection, or even a scratch could kill.

In this month's podcast, we bring you a recording from a panel event at New Scientist Live. The discussion is fantastic primer on the issue of antibacterial resistance, why it’s so important that we act now, and what we can all do to prevent it.

Panellists:

Laura Bowater – senior lecturer at Norwich Medical School

Caroline Barker – clinician at University of East Anglia

Anthony McDonnell – head of economic research for the Prime Minister’s Review on Antimicrobial Resistance

Tamar Ghosh – lead on the Longitude Prize to solve antibiotic resistance

The event was organised by the Microbiology Society and the Biochemical Society.