The Growing Global Threat Of Antibiotic Resistance Ielts Reading Answers Top Official

The Growing Global Threat Of Antibiotic Resistance Ielts Reading Answers Top Official

Compounding this crisis is the stagnation of the antibiotic pipeline. The ‘golden age’ of antibiotic discovery ended decades ago. Large pharmaceutical companies have largely abandoned antibiotic research due to poor financial incentives. A new cancer drug can be sold for thousands of dollars per dose and taken for months; a new antibiotic, by contrast, must be used sparingly to prevent resistance, and for short durations, making it far less profitable. Consequently, only two new classes of antibiotics have reached the market in the last 50 years. Even when new drugs are developed, resistant strains often emerge within a few years of their introduction.

International bodies such as the WHO, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) have launched a Global Action Plan on AMR, which over 150 countries have signed. However, implementation remains inconsistent, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where regulatory oversight is weak and antibiotics are often available without a prescription. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how quickly a global health threat can escalate when preparedness is lacking. Antibiotic resistance is slower moving, but far more insidious. It represents a silent pandemic—one that threatens to undo a century of medical progress. Compounding this crisis is the stagnation of the

Answer: The WHO has launched a global action plan to combat antibiotic resistance, which includes improving surveillance, promoting rational use of antibiotics, and developing new treatments. A new cancer drug can be sold for