[학생기자 칼럼]Superbug

On November 18, 2016, BBC News reported on the antimicrobial resistance report by economist Jim O’Neill, who stated that drug resistant infections will kill an extra 10 million people a year worldwide and costs will spiral up to $100 trillion. A “Superbug,” defined as a bacteria which is not affected by antibiotics, is predicted to arise by 2050 and result in a loss of millions of lives worldwide.

Appointed by the Prime Minister David Cameron in July, O’Neill stated that this antimicrobial resistance is “equivalent of around 35 years without the UK contribution to the global economy.” This rapidly increasing rate of antimicrobial resistance is estimated to reduce the world economic output by up to 3.5%.

With increasingly drug resistant epidemics such as malaria and tuberculosis, antimicrobial resistance causes at least 50,000 deaths each year in the U.S. alone. By 2050, the number of deaths attributable to antimicrobial resistance will reach 10 million, killing more people than cancer and road traffic accidents combined.

This drug resistant epidemic is felt most keenly in the developing nations in Africa and Latin America. In Nigeria, for instance, more than 25% of deaths would be attributable to drug resistant infections, while India will lose 2 million lives every year due to this trend.

Yet, even with its devastating and seemingly irreversible effects, this trend can easily be solved with simple generosity and education. According to Dr. Farrar, the director of Wellcome Trust, by highlighting the “vast financial and human costs that unchecked drug resistance will have, this important research underlines that this is not just a medical problem, but an economic and social one too.”

Education about proper use of drugs to reduce the rise of resistance is the primary social action needed. Economy-wise, investment in the development of new drugs would help bring coherent international action concerning drug use in both humans and animals.


Chaemin Jang (McLean HS, 10th)