We need to develop new antimicrobial drugs to ensure clinicians have the tools to treat patients. But that's easier said than done. The current antimicrobial market is broken, leaving us unprepared for drug-resistant infections patients currently face, not to mention future ones.
To understand why, it's important to know that the more an antibiotic is used, the more likely bacteria are to adapt and become resistant to the treatment, rendering it less effective. Doctors therefore try to prescribe antibiotics ― especially the newest, most advanced ones ― sparingly and reserve these treatments for critical scenarios.
We need to make sure antimicrobial drugs are used appropriately to give patients the best possible outcomes. Antibiotic stewardship programs, which are responsible for leading these efforts, are very successful when given the necessary resources for the job. But that isn't happening in many settings. Rural areas in particular are under resourced.
Using antibiotics carefully is a smart practice, medically speaking, but it also means drug companies face an uphill battle when it comes to developing new treatments. It costs more thanto create a new antibiotic ― meaning antibiotic makers normally need to sell millions of units just to break even. Once the antibiotic reaches the market, they can't rely on a traditional sales model, in which sales are based on the volume of product sold.
Due to this catch-22, many major companies have recently closed antimicrobial development programs ― and the future is bleak for small biotech companies taking up the mantle. The FDA approved just
More taxes… terrific.