Superbug crisis could claim 40 million lives by 2050, study warns

A new study projects that nearly 40 million people could die from antibiotic-resistant infections between now and 2050

A recent study published in The Lancet has sounded the alarm on the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), warning that nearly 40 million people could die from antibiotic-resistant infections between now and 2050. The study, conducted by researchers from the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance Project and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, estimates that deaths from AMR could increase by 70% by 2050 if measures are not taken to address the issue.

According to the study, older adults are disproportionately affected by AMR, with deaths from AMR increasing by 80% among adults 70 and older between 1990 and 2021. Dr. Chris Murray, lead author of the study, noted that "we expect it to get worse" and emphasized the need for "appropriate attention on new antibiotics and antibiotic stewardship" to address the problem.

The study also found that the pathogen-drug combination with the largest increase in causing burden among all age groups was methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Dr. Steffanie Strathdee, associate dean of global health sciences at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, highlighted the importance of alternative approaches to antibiotics, such as phage therapy, which saved her husband's life after he contracted a superbug infection.

The study's findings underscore the urgent need for global action to address the growing threat of AMR. As Dr. Strathdee noted, "there is possible hope on the horizon" if we can scale up interventions to improve access to quality care, reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock and the environment, and develop new antimicrobial medications.