Policy in practice: Cystic Fibrosis Australia and Phage Australia surveys: understanding clinical needs and attitudes towards phage therapy in the cystic fibrosis community.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most prevalent serious inherited disease in Australia, imposing significant health risks. CF is characterized by chronic lung inflammation and recurrent pulmonary infections that increase morbidity and premature mortality rates. The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) places further challenges on the treatment and management of CF, necessitating research into alternative strategies for treatment of bacterial infections. Bacteriophage therapy, involving bacterial-specific viruses, is a potential avenue for AMR infections in patients with CF. Existing literature supports the feasibility of phage therapy in CF but there has been a gap in investigating attitudes of the CF community including affected individuals and their caregivers, regarding phage therapy. Understanding perspectives and needs of the CF community is essential for successful implementation and acceptance of novel therapies including phage therapy. We conducted a survey that encompasses responses from 112 consumers from across Australia, comprising people living with CF (38.4%), parents of affected children (49.6%), carers (6.4%), and family members (3%). The findings showed a significant reliance on antibiotics with 51.4% requiring oral, 43.4% nebulized, and 11.4% intravenous antibiotics within the preceding 2 weeks. Respondents highlighted the availability of new treatments, duration of hospitalizations and costs associated with treatment as important priorities to address. Despite an awareness of phage therapy among 62.4% of respondents, 86.4% expressed interest in obtaining more information, primarily from medical staff (66.7%). Notably, 96.0% of respondents expressed willingness to participate in phage therapy trials. The results of this survey highlighted the CF community's strong interest in advanced therapeutic approaches, specifically phage therapy. The findings reveal a notable recognition and acceptance of phage therapy as a viable treatment option for pulmonary infections associated with CF. This study addresses UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing by advancing knowledge on alternative therapeutic strategies for managing AMR in CF. By exploring community attitudes towards bacteriophage therapy, the research promotes informed development and implementation of innovative, targeted treatments for CF-associated infections. These findings support the sustainable management of AMR, fostering better health outcomes and reducing reliance on traditional antibiotics, thereby contributing to long-term health resilience.