Rise and Fall of Antibiotics: An Overview

The discovery and application of antibiotics in the twentieth century revolutionised medicine by significantly reducing death rates from bacterial infections and enabling modern medical procedures like surgery, cancer treatment, and organ transplants. Initially celebrated as “miracle drugs,” antibiotics provided unmatched treatment of previously deadly diseases, significantly improving global health outcomes. However, their efficacy has been weakened by the rapid and relentless rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)—a natural yet accelerated evolutionary process caused by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in humans, animals, agriculture, and the environment. Resistance mechanisms, often appearing soon after new drugs are introduced, have led to an increase in multidrug-resistant pathogens, known as “superbugs,” which threaten medical progress. AMR has become a major global health concern, associated with rising illness, death rates, and healthcare costs, and if unaddressed, is projected to cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050. This will harm human health, food security, human development, and delay the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals.