WHO: Antibiotic-Resistant Infections Are A "Global Health Emergency"
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- There is a serious lack of new antibiotics being developed to fight infections that are becoming resistant to treatments - something WHO says is a "global health emergency."
That's according to a new analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) released on Tuesday.
Most of the drugs currently being developed to combat antimicrobial resistance are only modifications of existing antibiotics which are just short-term solutions.
As it stands, there are very few treatment options for infections that are resistant to antibiotics which is why WHO says it is "posing the greatest threat to health."
"Antimicrobial resistance is a global health emergency that will seriously jeopardize progress in modern medicine," said Director-General of WHO Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
One of their major concerns is drug-resistant tuberculosis which kills around 250,000 people each year, according to the organization.
They're even concerned about common infections like pneumonia and urinary tract infections that are growing increasingly more resistant to existing antibiotics.
The group is urging for more research in order to give people around the globe more options if they encounter a drug-resistant infection.
"There is an urgent need for more investment in research and development for antibiotic-resistant infections including TB, otherwise we will be forced back to a time when people feared common infections and risked their lives for minor surgery."
As of now, the report titled, Antibacterial agents in clinical development, says about 51 new antibiotics are being developed to possibly treat antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
