Antibiotic resistance is an exploding global problem that individual nations must face to preserve the dwindling arsenal of infection-fighting drugs, according to a new report by the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy in Washington, D.C.
Though antibiotic resistance is a global problem, the solutions lie at national and regional levels.
“Stopping the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, while maintaining access for those who truly need them, is of utmost importance,” Ramanan Laxminarayan, PhD, MPH, center director, notes in a blog post.1 “The root of the problem is often attributed to the ‘empty pipeline’ argument — that if we just had more new antibiotics, resistance wouldn’t be a problem. But no matter how many new drugs come out, if we continue to misuse them, they might as well have never been discovered.”
The report looks comprehensively at global antibiotic use and resistance in humans, livestock, and the environment, the global antibiotic supply, and actions that can be taken at national levels to minimize antibiotic resistance. The findings outlined in the report include:
- Antibiotic resistance affects many millions of people globally. In developing countries, the problem is compounded by a lack of basic healthcare and public health infrastructure; low rates of vaccination; inadequate access to clean water; a shortage of trained healthcare providers; indiscriminate access to over‐the‐counter antibiotics in pharmacies; sub‐standard quality of available antibiotics; counterfeit and mislabeled antibiotics; and limited availability of drugs in certain cases (particularly of newer drugs, if a resistant infection is suspected).
- Antibiotic‐resistant bacteria do not respect borders. Resistant strains that arise in one part of the world can – and do – spread rapidly to other parts of the world, due to increased international travel and globalized trade.
- The global use of antibiotics by humans increased more than 30% between 2000 and 2010 - from 50 billion to 70 billion standard units - and this trend is expected to continue.
- About 80% of antibiotic use takes place in the community, though hospitals contribute greatly to consumption because patients with the most difficult-to-treat infections are admitted for care. Unchecked use in outpatient and non-prescription settings is a major issue.
- Non-therapeutic antibiotic use in animals - dosing chickens, pigs, or cows with antibiotics to promote growth and prevent infections rather than to cure illness - is growing worldwide. Global animal antibiotic consumption is projected to increase 67% by the year 2030 from a baseline of 2010.
- Strong antibiotic stewardship in its broadest sense is the key to conserving antibiotic effectiveness.
REFERENCE
- Laxminarayan R. The State of the World’s Antibiotics: Resistance Rates Rising, Stewardship is the Solution. Nov. 16, 2015. Available at: 1.usa.gov/1PZh0S6.
