Lack of access to antibiotics is driving spread of superbugs, finds research

Less than 7% of people with severe drug-resistant infections in poorer countries get the antibiotics they need, a new study suggests, with researchers warning that not only is this causing suffering and deaths, but is also likely to be driving antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

With AMR forecast to cause 1.9m deaths a year by 2050, they are calling for urgent action, akin to the fight earlier this century to get HIV drugs to Africa’s virus hotspots.

“The stark reality is that most people with highly drug-resistant infections are not getting access to the antibiotics they need,” said Dr Jennifer Cohn, a senior author of the study.

AMR is a process whereby bacteria and other pathogens evolve resistance to treatments typically used against them. One driver is the overuse of antibiotics, with greater exposure to drugs offering bacteria more chances to learn how to evade them.

But a focus on overuse has meant access has been neglected, the experts warn.

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Source: The Guardian, 30 April 2025