From the Guidelines
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical global health challenge that requires immediate attention and action to prevent a catastrophic impact on human health and the economy. The importance of addressing AMR cannot be overstated, as it threatens our ability to treat common infections effectively, with at least 700,000 people dying annually from drug-resistant infections, and this number could rise to 10 million deaths per year by 2050 1. AMR develops naturally over time through genetic changes, but the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and plants has accelerated this process dramatically, with healthcare-associated infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) being a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, as well as increased healthcare costs all over the world 1.
Some of the key challenges in managing AMR include:
- Limited treatment options for MDRO infections, often including only last-resort antibiotics that are generally associated with high toxicity or poor efficacy 1
- An alarming increase in carbapenem resistance in several species, including K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and A. baumannii 1
- The need for antimicrobial stewardship programs, development of new antibiotics, improvement of infection prevention measures, reduction of antibiotic use in agriculture, and enhancement of global surveillance systems to combat AMR
The future impact of AMR will be profound across multiple sectors, including:
- Healthcare, where routine surgeries and cancer treatments may become extremely risky without effective antibiotics
- Economy, where AMR could cost the global economy up to $100 trillion by 2050 through increased healthcare expenditures and productivity losses
- Individual actions, such as completing prescribed antibiotic courses, avoiding antibiotic use for viral infections, and practicing good hygiene, can also help slow AMR development 1.
The most effective way to address AMR is through a One Health approach, which involves a multisectoral action plan that includes human health, animal health, and environmental health, as recently launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) 1. This approach requires a coordinated effort from governments, healthcare systems, and individuals to implement evidence-based strategies to prevent and control the spread of AMR.
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Introduction to AMR
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious threat to global public health, increasing morbidity and mortality, and associated with high economic costs due to its healthcare burden 2.
- AMR occurs when viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites do not respond to antimicrobial treatments in humans and animals, allowing the survival of the microorganism within the host 3.
- The prominent cause contributing to the current crisis remains the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials, particularly the inappropriate usage of antibiotics, increasing the global burden of antimicrobial resistance 3.
Importance of AMR
- AMR has emerged as a chronic public health problem globally, with the forecast of 10 million deaths per year globally by 2050 3.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced ESKAPE pathogens as the top priority pathogens, as these have developed resistance against certain antibiotics 4.
- Understanding the resistance mechanisms of these bacteria is a key step in the development of new antimicrobial drugs to tackle drug-resistant bacteria 5.
Effects of AMR on Our Future
- The consequences of failure to adequately address AMR are profound, with estimations of a return to the pre-antibiotic era, where everyday infections relating to childbirth, surgery, and open fractured limbs could be potentially life-threatening 3.
- AMR itself represents a microcosm of factors, including social anthropology, civil unrest/war, diasporas, ethnic displacement, political systems, healthcare, economics, societal behavior, health literacy, geoclimatic events, global travel, and pharmaceutical innovation and investment 3.
- Success will involve individuals, communities, and nations all working together to ensure that the world continues to possess a sufficient armamentarium of effective antimicrobials that will sustain human and animal health, both now and in the future 3.
Strategies to Address AMR
- Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is an organizational or system-wide healthcare strategy designed to promote, improve, monitor, and evaluate the rational use of antimicrobials to preserve their future effectiveness, along with the promotion and protection of public health 2.
- The "One Health" approach, a holistic and multisectoral approach, is needed to address AMR's rising threat 2, 3.
- Identifying novel therapeutic strategies/agents, such as antibiotic adjuvants, inhibitors of beta-lactamase, efflux pumps, and permeabilizers for outer membrane, can potentially solve the antibiotic resistance problems 4.