Lessons learned from COVID-19 for the post-antibiotic future - PubMed (original) (raw)

Lessons learned from COVID-19 for the post-antibiotic future

Lindsay A Wilson et al. Global Health. 2020.

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 has rapidly and radically changed the face of human health and social interaction. As was the case with COVID-19, the world is similarly unprepared to respond to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the challenges it will produce. COVID-19 presents an opportunity to examine how the international community might better respond to the growing AMR threat.

Main body: The impacts of COVID-19 have manifested in health system, economic, social, and global political implications. Increasing AMR will also present challenges in these domains. As seen with COVID-19, increasing healthcare usage and resource scarcity may lead to ethical dilemmas about prioritization of care; unemployment and economic downturn may disproportionately impact people in industries reliant on human interaction (especially women); and international cooperation may be compromised as nations strive to minimize outbreaks within their own borders.

Conclusion: AMR represents a slow-moving disaster that offers a unique opportunity to proactively develop interventions to mitigate its impact. The world's attention is currently rightfully focused on responding to COVID-19, but there is a moral imperative to take stock of lessons learned and opportunities to prepare for the next global health emergency.

Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; COVID-19; Emergency preparedness; International cooperation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Steven J. Hoffman is Scientific Director of the Institute of Population and Public Health at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of CIHR or the Government of Canada.

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. World Bank . Drug-resistant infections: a threat to our economic future. Washington (DC): World Bank; 2017.
    1. OECD. Stemming the Superbug Tide: Just A Few Dollars More. Paris, France: OECD Publishing; 2018. Available from: 10.1787/9789264307599-en. Accessed 15 Apr 2020.
    1. Wang Z, Wang J, He J. Active and Effective Measures for the Care of Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Spread in China. JAMA Oncol. 2020 [cited 2020 Apr 16]; Available from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2763961. - PubMed
    1. Council of Canadian Academies. When Antibiotics Fail: The Expert Panel on the Potential Socio-Economic Impacts of Antimicrobial Resistance in Canada. Ottawa; 2019. Available from: http://www.deslibris.ca/ID/10102747.
    1. Hoffman SJ, Outterson K. What will it take to address the global threat of antibiotic resistance? J Law Med Ethics. 2015;43:7. doi: 10.1111/jlme.12253. - DOI - PubMed

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources