A new study forecasts that antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections will lead to over 39 million deaths globally over the next 25 years, with an additional 169 million deaths indirectly tied to the growing issue. Published in The Lancet, the report warns that by 2050, the annual death toll from antibiotic resistance could reach 1.91 million directly and 8.22 million indirectly if no action is taken.
The study, part of the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance Project, highlights a sharp increase in antibiotic-resistance-related deaths compared to 2022, with annual deaths rising by nearly 68% and 75%, respectively. This surge is expected to strain healthcare systems and result in significant economic losses, estimated at $1 trillion to $3.4 trillion annually by 2030.
Dame Sally Davies, the UK’s Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance, called the situation an “antibiotic emergency,” urging immediate action.
The elderly population faces the highest risk, with antibiotic-resistant deaths among those over 70 increasing by more than 80% from 1990 to 2021. Low- and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, bear the brunt of the crisis, largely due to drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to withstand drugs, often due to misuse or overuse in humans, animals, and agriculture. The World Health Organization stresses that improved access to care, new vaccines, and more prudent antibiotic use could save up to 92 million lives by 2050.
The study’s projections are based on data from 520 million people across 204 countries and cover 22 disease-causing organisms, 84 drug-bacteria combinations, and 11 infectious syndromes, such as sepsis and meningitis.