Swiss inaction threatens global antibiotic development push

Switzerland is a major hub for pharmaceutical companies, but it has done little to encourage the development of new antibiotics – a shortfall that could have serious consequences at home and abroad. Global health experts have long warned that resistance to antimicrobials, including antibiotics, is a slow-moving crisis with deadly consequences. In 2019, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) caused an estimated 1.3 million deaths globally – the third leading cause of death that year, according to the Lancet. According to one estimate, by 2050, AMR could claim up to 10 million lives annually – on par with cancer. Despite these warnings, few companies are developing new antibiotics based on a basic calculation: antibiotics are expensive to develop but generate little profit. A new drug can take 10–15 years and over $1 billion (CHF790 million) to develop, but antibiotics are expected to be cheap and used sparingly to prevent resistance. This economic mismatch has led public health experts to ... Full story here Are you the author? Previous post See more for 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy Next post
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