Antibiotics are the foundation of modern medicine. These essential medicines fi ght bacterial infections by killing the bacteria or by making it hard for the bacteria to grow and multiply. From simple surgeries and dental procedures to cancer treatment, antibiotics support health systems’ ability to deliver safe care to patients.
By one estimate, antibiotics have extended average human life expectancy by more than 20 years since their discovery almost a century ago. But they are becoming less and less effective as a result of bacteria developing resistance, making people more vulnerable to infections. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the rise in rates of antibiotic-resistant infections due to misuse and overuse of antibiotics has become one of the top 10 biggest health issues facing the world.
It is estimated that bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million deaths.
This is a problem that will get progressively worse unless policy reforms are implemented. As the country observes National Infection Prevention and Control Week, the research-based pharmaceutical industry reiterates our call to accelerate the creation of a vibrant and sustainable innovation ecosystem to support R&D for new antibiotics and other antimicrobials addressing pathogens prioritized by leading public health bodies. Developing antibiotics is a long, complex, and risky process, and many in develop.