A consensus-based guideline for personalized bacteriophage therapy

Bacteriophages are viruses that selectively infect bacteria and represent a promising option for treating difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. However, their clinical implementation in many countries is limited by the lack of unified principles, clear procedures, and specifications for phage selection, preparation, and quality control. This consensus-based guideline was developed under the leadership of the German Society for Infectious Diseases in collaboration with 20 professional societies, patient advocacy groups, and regulatory authorities, together with 18 international experts. The guideline contains over 60 recommendations covering core principles, infrastructure, phage preparation, quality control, clinical administration, and future research priorities. The aim is to provide practical and standardized recommendations for safe and effective use of personalized bacteriophage therapy.