Overview
- A national guideline compiled by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Infektiologie sets 60 recommendations to standardize when and how phage therapy may be used in Germany.
- The guideline frames phage therapy as a last‑line option for infections that do not respond to antibiotics and says decisions should be made by interdisciplinary teams of clinicians, microbiologists and pharmacists.
- Authors recommend matching phages to the patient’s bacterial strain, preferring patient‑specific preparation in hospital pharmacies under defined quality controls over generic internet products.
- The University Hospital Frankfurt began guideline‑compliant treatments in February 2026 and has reported ten patients treated successfully, but high‑quality randomized trial evidence remains limited.
- Experts warn of known risks such as fever and inflammatory reactions from rapid bacterial lysis, the emergence of bacterial resistance to phages, and the dangers of unregulated online products and medical tourism while calling for more trials and regulatory standards.