MADURAI, India -- Pharmaceutical companies in India are introducing new drugs to treat the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is one of the top threats to global public health.
AMR occurs when bugs grow stronger than the drugs meant to treat them. According to the World Health Organization, AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million more. The WHO says misuse and overuse of antibiotics in humans, plants and animals have led to the development of drug-resistant pathogens. Studies suggest there could be 40 million deaths by 2050 as a result of antibiotics losing efficacy, with those over age 70 the most vulnerable.
