The use and misuse of antibiotics contributes to the rise in drug-resistant bacteria - a serious and worsening threat to human health. The development and use of rapid point-of-care diagnostics in the healthcare setting plays an important role in avoiding unnecessary use of antimicrobials by providing clinicians with the right information at the right time to help them make decisions about appropriate drug treatment for patients. Diagnostics also have the capacity to support early detection and diagnosis of drug-resistant bacterial infections, enable disease surveillance, and help prevent disease spread.

The National Academies Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation; Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies; and Forum on Microbial Threats hosted an October 2022 workshop exploring the current landscape of rapid diagnostics to address antibiotic resistance, challenges and opportunities for spurring innovation, and practical next steps for accelerating the development of new diagnostic tools.