Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to evolve and spread beyond all boundaries. As a result, many infections have become more challenging or even impossible to treat, leading to an increase in morbidity and mortality. Despite the failure of conventional, traditional antimicrobial therapy, in the past two decades, no novel class of antibiotics has been introduced. While the COVID-19 pandemic was frequently mentioned daily worldwide, the AMR crisis is rarely talked about, hence it being labelled as the “Silent Pandemic”. Yet, there are more infections and deaths per year attributed to AMR compared with COVID-19 and indeed many COVID-19 patients died from antimicrobial resistant infections. Currently there are new therapeutic options, especially combination therapies though they are not completely novel. These therapies are helping to slow the silent pandemic but inevitably resistance is emerging. If no new therapies or technologies are developed for the future, AMR will be unstoppable and mortality rates will significantly increase. Fortunately, novel molecules amongst others are in early to mid-stage development though it remains to be seen if these can be developed quickly enough in order to be of clinical utility.
24/05/2024 Stephen Hawser CEO IHMA Europe Sàrl Monthey Switzerland