Superbugs to Surge Through 2050

A recent study published in the The Lancet found that global deaths due to infections that are resistant to the medications intended to treat them could increase nearly 70% by 2050. Bacterial illnesses that are resistant to available antibiotic medicines will cause more than 39 million deaths worldwide during the next 25 years and indirectly contribute to an additional 169 million deaths, the study found.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to medicines, making people sicker and increasing the spread of infections that are difficult to treat, leading to illness and deaths.

The study estimated that 4.71 million deaths already were associated with bacterial AMR as of 2021. From 1990 to 2021, deaths from AMR decreased by more than 50% among children younger than 5 years yet increased by over 80% for adults 70 years and older. 

Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it will draw attention to the global AMR crisis among other health challenges at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), held in New York City Sept. 20-30.  

Specifically, the second High-Level Meeting on AMR will be held on Sept. 26. Without decisive action, such as that outlined in the final text of the political declaration draft for the meeting, AMR will cause even more global suffering, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, the WHO said. The first UN High-level Meeting on AMR took place in 2016. 

“Antimicrobial resistance threatens a century of medical progress and could return us to the pre-antibiotic era, where infections that are treatable today could become a death sentence,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, who will address the high-level meeting on AMR. “This is a threat for all countries at all income levels, which is why a strong, accelerated and well-coordinated global response is needed urgently.”