WHO Sounds Alarm, Calls for Global Push Against Drug-Resistant “Superbugs”

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that humanity’s defense against dangerous drug-resistant infections is slipping dangerously behind, urging urgent global action to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). According to the agency, there are currently insufficient new diagnostic tools and treatments in development to keep pace with the rise of superbugs—microbes that no longer respond to standard medicines.

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites evolve to survive exposure to medicines that once eliminated them. The WHO has cautioned that overuse and misuse of antimicrobial drugs in humans, livestock, and agriculture are fueling this resistance, placing a particularly heavy burden on low- and middle-income countries. Drug-resistant infections are already estimated to contribute to more than a million deaths worldwide each year.

In its latest reports assessing new diagnostics and therapies for bacterial infections, the WHO warned that the current research and development pipeline is inadequate. Of the 90 antibacterial candidates now in clinical trials, only about 15 are considered potentially innovative, while the rest are incremental or low priority. The figure is also down from a previous count of 97, signaling a worrying slowdown in progress.

The WHO underscored a “dual crisis”: not only a shortage of new drug candidates but also a lack of cutting-edge innovation. Many companies engaged in antimicrobial research are small—with fewer than 50 employees—making them financially vulnerable. Gaps remain especially significant in pediatric formulations and oral outpatient treatments, areas that are critically underserved.

To counter these challenges, WHO is calling on governments, funders, biotech firms, and research institutions to scale up investment in antimicrobial research and innovation. It has urged greater transparency, such as publishing data on antibacterial activity, along with new financing models to support small and medium-sized enterprises in this field. The agency stressed that only through coordinated global effort can the threat of drug-resistant infections be contained and future generations safeguarded.