Blog note. Jesus indicated that ‘fearful sights’ (various natural disasters) would occur leading up to the time known as the Tribulation and Great Tribulation (a combined seven year period of great destruction on earth). Although these types of things have occurred in the past for centuries and thousands of years, they could be identified as the ‘season of the times’ due to the ferociousness of these events. They would be occurring in greater intensity, severity, frequency, size, duration, scope … just like the pains that a woman experiences in labor the farther along she is in the labor process. We are in the ‘season of the times’ that comes just before the seven (7) year Tribulation/Great Tribulation period

… And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. (Luke 21:11).

… And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; (Luke 21:25)

… Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken; (Luke 21:26)

… This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2 Timothy 3:1)

Jesus is giving a series of prophecies about what to look for as the age of grace comes to a close. These verses are several of many such prophecies from throughout the Bible. 2017 was the worst year in recorded history for the intensity, frequency, severity, duration and occurrence of a large number of severe natural disasters worldwide. Earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, torrential flooding, unprecedented wildfires in unusual places, devastating droughts, excessive/scorching heat setting records everywhere, record snowfalls in Europe and Russia. Snow in the Arabia. This list can go on. Most studied Eschatologists believe these ‘fearful sights’ and massive natural disasters are all part of the ‘CONVERGENCE’ of signs that this Biblical and prophetic age is closing. Most people who study prophecy are familiar with the routine reference(s) made that these things will be like a woman having labor pains, growing in intensity, frequency, size and duration.

‘Startling’ lack of progress in fight against superbugs, report warns

The Telegraph October 8, 2019

Governments and pharmaceutical companies have made a “startling” lack of progress in tackling superbugs, more than three years since a landmark report warned of their growing threat. 

The 2016 Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, commissioned by then prime minister David Cameron and chaired by former Goldman Sachs banker Lord Jim O’Neill, called for a complete overhaul of the global antibiotics market.

Its key recommendations included a call for multi-million pound rewards to companies that develop new drugs, the development of diagnostics to ensure that only those who need an antibiotic gets one and the production of vaccines for diseases such as gonorrhea to prevent infections in the first place.

However, a report tracking progress since the 2016 review, has found that little has been done to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is predicted to kill 10 million people by 2050 if it continues at its current rate. 

In an article in the Telegraph last year Lord O’Neill warned that there had been “a lot of talk, but no action” on superbugs and in the 18 months since not much has changed.

In the foreword to the 2019 report he wrote: “What is missing, despite endless words, is a firm commitment of monies from governments or pharmaceutical companies.”

No new antibiotic has emerged on the market in the last 40 years and the 2016 review called for urgent action to tackle drug development bottlenecks. 

The latest report found that there has been increased funding for early-stage research into antibiotics by companies such as Bugworks in India which is developing an antibiotic to target drug-resistant Gram negative bacteria. 

But such small biotechs do not have the capability to take these drugs into large-scale clinical trials and beyond, and need the deep pockets of big pharmaceutical firms to take their research forward. 

However, “big pharma” is quitting the antibiotic industry because it is not lucrative enough and just eight of the largest global pharmaceutical companies are still developing antibiotics.

Charles Clift, co-author of both the 2016 report and the 2019 update and a fellow at think tank Chatham House, said: “Large companies are getting out of [antibiotic development] and many in the last few years have dropped their research programmes.

“It’s the small biotechs that are now doing the research. Achaogen produced an antibiotic but they couldn’t recoup the cost and they went bankrupt earlier this year.” 

The report highlights the announcement by the UK government earlier this year that it would look at introducing a “Netflix”-style subscription model where it will pay pharmaceutical companies for antibiotics on the basis of their usefulness to the NHS, rather than on how much they use. 

The 2016 review also called for governments to put up multi-million sums for the development of drugs for particular diseases. But Tim Jinks, head of the drug-resistant infections programme at the Wellcome, said this was not a “politically attractive” option. 

“There has been tremendous reticence from governments to say they will throw money at this,” he said. 

Dr Clift highlighted that AMR was a global problem that needed a global response.

“What we are doing in the UK won’t make a great deal of difference. We need to engage key other countries,” he said.

The report added there had been good progress made in reducing the use of antibiotics in agriculture in high-income countries – a key driver of AMR – but said this remains a “formidable challenge in low and middle-income countries”.

The report also said that the number of infections should be reduced through improved water and sanitation in low and middle income countries.  

Dr Jinks added: “The prevalence of resistance is much higher in low and middle-income county and the impact obviously much more direct. We have not had much progress in middle-income countries – there should be better involvement from these countries in setting the agenda and developing and deploying the solutions to this problem.” 

Gwyn Jones, chairman of the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance, said: “The report recognises the significant progress made to date by the animal agriculture sector to improve responsible antibiotic use, and reiterates the important distinction that it is unnecessary use of antibiotics which must be addressed, rather than the use of antibiotics in general.

“In the UK usage has fallen by 48 per cent since 2014, which has been made possible due to the huge effort from both the veterinary profession and farmers; working together in partnership.”