Reviving Phage Therapy: A Cold War Era Solution Revisited

The Eliava Institute in Tbilisi, Georgia, has been developing bacteriophage therapy for nearly a century, offering an alternative to antibiotics overlooked mainly in the West during the Cold War. While Western medicine embraced broad-spectrum antibiotics, Soviet scientists perfected bacteriophages—viruses that specifically target and kill bacteria without harming beneficial microbiota. The institute houses over 800 phage strains and pioneered "phage cocktails" that make developing bacterial resistance difficult. As antibiotic resistance becomes a global crisis, Western researchers are now rediscovering this approach, establishing dedicated phage therapy centers and recognizing its advantages. Recent research has revealed complex interactions between phages and human health, including potential effects on the immune system, biofilm disruption, and even the gut-brain axis. Despite compelling evidence of effectiveness, regulatory frameworks in Western countries remain poorly adapted to phage therapeutics, highlighting how geopolitical divisions fragmented scientific knowledge to the detriment of global medicine.

https://www.ihadnoclue.com/article/1096432397495304193