{
  "id": 9188851,
  "title": "First global guideline sets standards for the use of phages in hard-to-treat infections",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/first-global-guideline-sets-standards-for-the-use-of-phages-in-hard",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-22T20:00:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-global-guideline-standards-phages-hard.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "An international team of experts, including 18 specialists from around the globe and representatives from regulatory bodies, has collaborated to create the first comprehensive guideline for using phages in treating difficult-to-manage infections. Led by the German Society for Infectious Diseases, the guideline outlines 60 practical recommendations covering phage selection, testing, manufacturing, quality control, application, monitoring, documentation, and future research needs. It establishes a worldwide framework for the clinical use of personalized phage therapies, addressing the growing challenge of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Phages, or bacteriophages, are viruses that specifically target and destroy bacterial cells, unlike many antibiotics that can harm multiple bacterial species. Before phage therapy is considered, it must be determined if a suitable phage can effectively target the specific bacterial strain causing the infection. The guideline emphasizes that phage therapy should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, not as a universal treatment option. Observational data, such as a Belgian study involving 100 patients, show that phage therapy improved clinical conditions in 77% of cases and eliminated targeted bacteria in 61% of instances; however, controlled clinical trials are still needed to fully validate efficacy. The guideline stresses the importance of an interdisciplinary approach involving physicians, clinical microbiology experts, and phage specialists before initiating treatment. It also recommends phage matching—identifying the most effective phage for each case—and recommends that all relevant bacterial strains in multi-pathogen infections be tested. The guideline promotes collaboration among laboratories, phage production facilities, pharmacies, and clinical teams, with standardized testing procedures and regular proficiency testing to ensure consistent results. Systematic documentation of treatment cases in registries is essential for evaluating clinical experiences and addressing ongoing research questions. Dr. Annika Claßen, a leading researcher at the University Hospital Cologne, played a key role in developing the guideline, which aims to provide physicians, pharmacists, and regulatory authorities with a unified framework for responsibly incorporating phage therapy into clinical practice.",
  "summary": "An international working group led by the German Society for Infectious Diseases (DGI) has developed a guideline for personalized phage therapy. Twenty professional organizations, 18 international experts, including representatives from regulatory agencies, and two patient advocacy organizations were involved.",
  "key_points": [
    "International team of 18 experts creates first phage therapy guideline",
    "Guideline establishes framework for personalized phage treatments",
    "Phage therapy shown effective in 77% of Belgian observational cases"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}