Manica Balasegaram, co-author of the ‘Unavailability of old antibiotics threatens effective treatment for common bacterial infections’, comments following publication in The Lancet Infectious Diseases:
It is widely documented that bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to many antibiotics, and that there are few drugs in the pipeline to combat antibiotic resistant infections. Not so well documented is how limited availability, supply shortages, and pricing of current antibiotics, including paediatric formulations, are becoming a serious global problem that is restricting access to effective treatment for common bacterial infections.
Current antibiotics are crucial in everyday clinical practice around the world. The consequences of their lack of availability may not only worsen clinical outcomes, but could potentially accelerate the development of drug resistant bacteria.
Leadership is required to address this challenge as is the need to secure access to effective antibiotics in low-income and middle-income countries. You can read our thoughts on a way forward in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.