New Approaches Needed to Address Growing Antibiotic Resistance: Experts

Rather than a militaristic framing, experts call for an ecological view and collaborative solutions balancing innovation and access.

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The rise of antibiotic resistance presents a serious global health challenge. A thoughtful, collaborative approach is needed to promote the judicious use of current and new antibiotics, according to experts.

This requires moving beyond an adversarial mindset toward bacteria and considering the complex factors driving resistance. With strategic changes to policy, medical practice, and public awareness, doctors can curtail antibiotic overuse to preserve these life-saving drugs while continuing the search for new solutions.

Antibiotic Consumption Skyrocketing Worldwide

Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that global human consumption of antibiotics rose by 65 percent between 2000 and 2015. Use in livestock is projected to increase by nearly 12 percent between 2017 and 2030. Without intervention, the CDC predicts that worldwide antibiotic consumption could surge by 200 percent between 2015 and 2030.