Current Situation of
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a natural phenomenon arising from the evolution of microbes, and it has escalated into one of the greatest threats to modern society. The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks AMR among the top ten global public health threats facing humanity. It poses significant risks not only to human and animal health but also to environmental sustainability, food safety, economic progress, and societal equity.
In the past few decades, antibiotics have been used as the panacea of bacterial infections. However, the widespread overuse and misuse of antibiotics by the public, physicians, and agricultural industries has accelerated the natural development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is one of the biggest threats to global health. Unless effectively contained, by 2050, AMR-related diseases are estimated to cause 10 million deaths a year.
Hard to develop new antibiotics
Efforts to combat AMR include developing new antibiotics and implementing strategies to control the use of existing antimicrobials. The development of new antibiotics is crucial, yet challenging, with an estimated 20.5 years and $700 million required to bring a single antimicrobial medicine to market. Moreover, only one in 30 candidates for new classes of antibiotics will eventually reach patients. Given the prolonged and costly process of developing new antibiotics, it is crucial to reduce the misuse and overuse of existing antimicrobials.
The World Health Organization launched its Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance in 2015, emphasizing the need for improved surveillance, regulation, and innovation in healthcare technologies. Similarly, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention introduced the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in the same year. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) followed suit with its own Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance in 2021. Locally, Hong Kong has been proactive with the Hong Kong Strategy and Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2017 – 2022) and its subsequent update (2023 – 2027) from the Centre for Health Protection. Additionally, China’s National Health Commission has launched the National Action Plan for Combating Antimicrobial Resistance (2022-2025). These initiatives collectively underscore the global recognition of the importance and urgency of addressing the AMR problem.
