On Wednesday, September 27, US President Joe Biden is set to announce a plan aimed at tackling the pressing issue of drug bacteria. A White House official, who preferred not to be named but was cited by Reuters, revealed that the initiative would involve an investment of $100 million into research endeavours to combat drug-resistant bacteria commonly known as superbugs.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than one million people worldwide lose their lives each year due to infections caused by antibiotic bacteria. The concern is growing globally as there is an increasing fear that infectious bacteria may develop resistance against ‘last resort’ antibiotics.
The problem of drug bacteria has worsened in the aftermath of COVID-19 since many COVID-19 patients were prescribed antibiotics. The misuse and overuse of these drugs have led to the emergence of superbug bacteria that have evolved to withstand antibiotics.
Addressing this crisis requires the development of antibiotics to combat drug-resistant bacteria. However, the pharmaceutical industry has shown interest in research due to its relatively low profitability.
The Biden administration’s initiative aims to expedite research efforts through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA H), a government research agency established year by President Biden and the US Congress. This program aims to encourage research efforts focused on finding solutions to combat resistance.