The swelling risk of anti-biotic resistance infections is causing worldwide threat. This issue prompts more than 80 companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers to work together to combat these "superbugs'.
According to ABC, 74 drug makers and 11 manufacturers of diagnostic test have agreed and signed an agreement to work together with each other alongside the government to improve treatment and management of drug-resistant infections. This effort is badly needed because many common infections are no longer responsive to conventional drugs. The seen cause of those resistance is antibiotic over use, few drugs to combat newly discovered bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. The declining industry of research in the field is also seen as a major cause.
The ability of bacteria and other microbes to develop resistance to anti biotic especially when patients don't follow the correct regimen is the main reason this microbes becomes stronger, survive and even multiply. The widespread use of antibiotics in livestock's for food also adds up to the problem. With the growing number of bugs that evolve, by 2050 these bugs are expected to eradicate about 10 million people per year and it will reduce global economic output to a total of $100 trillion by the said year as reported by Yahoo News.
According to Reuters, the drug makers and industry groups from 16 countries signed the Declaration on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance as an action to the threat. It will be the first step by the government and the industry to prevent antibiotics to be ineffective, encourage the development of new drugs and provide access to those that need them regardless of status.
According to Dr. Paul Stoffels, chief scientific officer of Johnson & Johnson, antimicrobials are the backbone of modern medicine and is always playing a key role in extending life expectancy all over the world. He said that we need to continue investing on research and development, protect existing treatments, and build a new framework regarding right usage of drugs for us to continue living in this world.
