Question 1

What is a bacteriophage?

Accepted Answer

A bacteriophage, or phage, is a virus that infects bacteria. They can be found in any environment, including the human microbiome. 
They pose no threat to humans, animals, or plants.

Question 2

What is bacteriophage therapy?

Accepted Answer

Bacteriophage therapy (or phage therapy) uses specific bacteriophage to target a hard-to-treat infection. 
Phages only attack specific bacteria, meaning they can be used to precisely target harmful bacteria while leaving the rest of the body’s beneficial microbes untouched. 
Phage therapy can be used alone or alongside antibiotics.

Question 3

Why do we need bacteriophage therapy?

Accepted Answer

Antibiotics are losing effectiveness, and multi-drug resistant "superbugs" are on the rise. Bacteriophage give us a natural avenue to treat infections, without the harmful side effects of antibiotics.

Question 4

What is antibiotic resistance?

Accepted Answer

Antibiotic resistance, also called multi-drug resistance (MDR), occurs when bacteria have been exposed to the same antibiotics repeatedly, and adapt to survive. 
Some bacteria have natural resistance to antibiotics, but hard-to-treat infections often result from bacteria that have evolved to resist antibiotics. 
These infections are severe because they cannot be treated by our current antibiotics, leaving patients with few options.

Question 5

Does phage therapy really work?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Numerous people, including POV president Chris Shaffer, have received lifesaving bacteriophage therapy. 
Our goal is to bring phage therapy to the forefront of infection treatment- phage first. Read Chris Shaffer's case here:

FAQs & Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a bacteriophage?

What is bacteriophage therapy?

Why do we need bacteriophage therapy?

What is antibiotic resistance?

Does phage therapy really work?