The ongoing AMR challenge

The development of antimicrobial agents has saved many lives worldwide since the discovery of penicillin in 1928. However, the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites no longer respond to existing treatments, has limited their use. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 4.95 million deaths every year attributed to AMR. The organization regards AMR as one of the top ten global threats to public life. This piece will focus on antimicrobial resistance in bacterial infections. 
​
AMR in bacteria is a natural survival mechanism. Its spread has been accelerated by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics and antimicrobials in hospitals, the community, particularly in countries where antibiotics are available without prescriptions, and in farming. Beating AMR will need a variety of different approaches, including the development of new antibiotics, the use of monoclonal antibodies, greater use of diagnostics to allow precision prescribing, and vaccinations to prevent the incidence and spread of bacterial infections.

​Read more at Pharma Sources.