Right now, you’re exposed to a lot of pathogens. You may not feel them, but they are present in your throat, in your intestines or on your skin. Yet we rarely get really sick. That’s because your resistance suppresses and fights millions of pathogens every day without you realizing it!

But it can also go wrong. Then, for example, flu arises, but also deadly diseases due to bacteria, viruses and parasites, such as blood poisoning, pneumonia or meningitis. Infectious diseases and immunity disorders are the #3 cause of death in the Netherlands. A good resistance is therefore of vital importance – to prevent these diseases from becoming cause of death #5 within 1 years!

Unfortunately, we still know too little about our resistance system, while the number of deaths from infectious diseases is increasing**. However, very limited money is made available for specific immune studies.

Researchers also warn that bacteria are increasingly resistant to antibiotics. By administering antibiotics incorrectly (too often) worldwide, bacteria become accustomed to this drug. We’ve been relying on this life-saving drug since 1928, but if we don’t keep innovating, we could die of a simple lung or bladder infection in a few years.

The Resistance Fund therefore finances research projects in the field of immunology and infectious diseases, so that we can better defend ourselves against viruses and bacteria in the future. If we learn to strengthen our resistance better, perhaps the impossible becomes possible: then we will never get sick again!

Are you helping to make the world healthier?