Experts call for global action on photodisinfection technology that could prevent thousands of AMR-related deaths
Dr Colin Hopper, Associate Clinical Professor at University College London, President of the International Photodynamic Association, and world-leading expert on photodynamic therapy (also known as photodisinfection), has called for greater international recognition of this technology that could replace failing antibiotics and antifungals.
Dr Hopper comments, “We’re still using the same tools we’ve relied on for decades, while the threats have become more sophisticated. Photodisinfection has the potential to change everything if we’re willing to invest in and embrace it.”
Initially developed at UCL in the 1990s, photodisinfection, or light-activated antimicrobial therapy, has a different mechanism of action from traditional antibiotics and antifungals and is able to eliminate bacteria, fungi, and viruses so rapidly that the pathogens cannot develop resistance. This technology is now being studied at institutions across the world, including at the world-renowned Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Over the past few years this technology has been validated across hundreds studies by researchers across the world showing that it is highly effective against a wide range of pathogens, including extremely- and moderately-drug-resistant strains.[i] Infections caused by extremely-drug-resistant pathogens are almost untreatable because they are resistant to almost every approved antimicrobial agent. The efficacy of photodisinfection against these pathogens underlines its potential as a rapid, broad-spectrum, bactericidal alternative to antibiotics and antifungals.
Dr Hopper believes that the potential of this vital innovation to revolutionize infection control is being stymied by the global healthcare industry’s slow rate of innovation and bias towards more traditional pill-based or topical treatments.
A Proven, Simple, and Effective Treatment
The concept behind photodisinfection is incredibly simple: photosensitive compounds, known as photosensitizers, can be activated by a specific wavelength and trigger photochemical reactions which produce reactive oxygen species. These reactive oxygen species are lethal to a broad spectrum of pathogens so rapidly that microbes do not develop resistance. The treatment is painless for patients, easy to administer, and has shown no serious side effects in hundreds of thousands of applications.
Hospitals in Canada, Europe, and the UK have begun using photodisinfection to prevent hospital-acquired infections following surgery. More than twenty hospitals in Canada and several NHS trusts in the UK, including Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, are among the healthcare institutions pioneering this new approach to infection control.
Versatile Applications Across Medical Fields
The potential applications for photodisinfection in healthcare include the treatment and prevention of infections in burns, chronic sinusitis, ulcers, and oral health. During the pandemic it was even used to successfully treat and prevent Covid-19 infections. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Navarra found that intranasal photodisinfection enhanced SARS-CoV-2 viral clearance in mild COVID-19 patients, even in vaccinated individuals, rapidly decreasing infectivity.[ii]
While it is not a panacea, photodisinfection could serve as an effective countermeasure against the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The latest research from the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project, published in the Lancet in September 2024, estimated that by 2050, antibiotic resistant infections could be involved in some 8 million deaths each year, either as the direct cause of death or as a contributing factor.
Currently, photodisinfection is approved for use across the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, and other regions, with US Phase 3 FDA trials underway in collaboration with HCA, the largest hospital group in the US.
A Call to Action for Saving Lives
The International Photodynamic Association (IPA) is eager to collaborate with companies and healthcare systems to expand the reach and applications of this life-saving technology. With millions of lives potentially at stake, it’s time to move beyond outdated treatments and embrace innovations like photodisinfection that could reshape infection control.
