When we visit the doctor, it’s not just diagnoses and treatments that pique our interest—it’s often the prescriptions we receive. Given the increasing average age, it’s no surprise that we seek definitive solutions to avoid “visiting the doctor again,” “waiting in long lines again,” or “experiencing anxiety again.” As a result, we often find ourselves asking our doctors for more medications than we might actually need or insisting on antibiotics to quickly eliminate all bacteria.
Currently, Streptococcus bacteria, which have developed resistance to the widely prescribed antibiotic erythromycin, can cause various infections, from throat infections to pneumonia.
Study Published in The Lancet
A study published on Monday in one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals, The Lancet, predicts that by 2050, 40 million people could die from antibiotic-resistant infections. This means that the more antibiotics we use, the more resistant the harmful bacteria in our bodies become. Consequently, the same medication may become less effective or even ineffective during your next illness.
While we often don’t bother to read the package inserts for many of the medications we take, bacteria in our bodies are actively pursuing the question, “How can we develop resistance to this drug?”
A Major and Persistent Problem
The authors of the study forecast a nearly 70% increase in deaths due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from 2022 to 2050. This type of resistance arises when microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, evolve in ways that make them harder to kill with existing medications. Christopher J. L. Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington and senior author of the study, states, “This is a significant problem, and it will be persistent.”
While researchers have labeled antimicrobial resistance a public health concern for decades, this study, conducted by a large research team as part of the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Research Project, is the first comprehensive analysis examining AMR trends worldwide over time.
520 Million Data Points Analyzed
The World Health Organization warns that the threat of drug resistance not only complicates the treatment of common infections but also makes medical interventions like chemotherapy and cesarean sections riskier. Following such treatments or surgeries, the human body becomes more susceptible to microbes, necessitating broader-spectrum drugs to prevent potential infections. The study analyzed a total of 520 million data points, including hospital discharge records, insurance claims, and death certificates from 204 countries.
The study found that over the 31 years from 1990 to 2021, there were more than one million deaths related to antimicrobial resistance each year. The researchers note that AMR deaths have surged since then, with the rate of increase expected to accelerate further.
Children Are More Resilient, but…
The authors anticipate a continued decline in such deaths among children, predicting a 50% reduction by 2050, while at the same time, deaths among older adults could double. From 1990 to 2021, there was more than a 50% decrease in AMR deaths among children under five, while there was over an 80% increase among those aged 70 and older. Kevin Ikuta, the lead author and an assistant professor of clinical medicine at UCLA, estimates that by 2050, approximately 40 million people will die from AMR-related causes. This translates to about three people dying every minute.
The study predicts that approximately 11.8 million of these deaths (around 30% of the estimated 40 million) will occur in South Asia. Researchers also foresee a significant number of AMR deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Side Effects Must Be Communicated
Ishani Ganguli, a primary care physician and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, emphasizes the need to avoid prescribing antibiotics when they are unnecessary. She elaborates, “If there’s a disconnect and my patient really wants an antibiotic… and I don’t believe it will help in this situation, I take the time to explain that the antibiotic could cause side effects like diarrhea and fungal infections.”
Strategy: Development of New Antibiotics
Ganguli stresses that, as a clinician, her role involves educating patients about when antibiotics are inappropriate and offering alternative treatment options, such as saline gargles and humidifiers for colds.
The authors advocate for infection prevention strategies, including improving access to clean water and vaccines, as well as developing new antibiotics to reduce the number of deaths caused by AMR.
In conclusion, the issue of antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to both individual health and public health. Preventing unnecessary use of antibiotics is one of the critical steps needed to protect community health. Raising awareness among both healthcare professionals and individuals will be essential in addressing this issue in the future.
