Stop doctors over-prescribing antibiotics, says minister Hosting the first meeting of G8 science ministers in five years at the Royal Society today, Mr Willetts will encourage a discussion between countries about when the drugs should be used and which type should not be overused, with the aim of reducing resistance to potentially life-saving treatments. Speaking ahead of the meeting, he warned that the growing problem of antibiotic resistance should be regarded as a global challenge on a par with climate change, water stress and environmental damage. He said: "Only through working together can we tackle global challenges like public health and maximise the social and economic benefits of research. I want to discuss with my G8 counterparts how we can better address the issue of antibiotic resistance, drawing on the expertise of our science and research bases to speed up the introduction of new drugs. Open data and open access to research are also important international issues that I want to see progress on. They are fundamental to the Government's transparency agenda and will speed up scientific discovery and drive growth. Dame Sally Davies, England's chief medical officer, is meanwhile seeking a UN treaty banning antibiotics in food production and wants to see the regulatory process for licensing new drugs streamlined.