The pipeline for new antibiotics is drying up. Between 2010 and 2020, only ten new antibiotics were approved, and most were variations of existing classes. Pharmaceutical companies have little financial incentive to develop new drugs because antibiotics are used for short courses and resistance limits their long-term profitability.
The discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century is often cited as one of the greatest achievements in medical history. Penicillin, discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928, transformed once-fatal infections into manageable conditions, saving countless lives. However, this medical triumph is facing a formidable adversary: antibiotic resistance. This phenomenon occurs when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the drugs designed to kill them. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist, and the risk of spreading resistant strains to others increases.
For nearly a century, antibiotics have served as the cornerstone of modern medicine. The accidental discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928 heralded a golden age of pharmacology, transforming once-fatal bacterial infections into routine, treatable ailments. Simple surgical procedures, organ transplantations, and cancer chemotherapies, which all rely heavily on prophylactic antimicrobial cover, became standard clinical practice. However, this period of medical security is rapidly drawing to a close. Bacteria are evolving defense mechanisms against the very drugs designed to destroy them, giving rise to a phenomenon known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Today, public health authorities globally categorize AMR not merely as a clinical challenge, but as an existential threat to contemporary civilization. The pipeline for new antibiotics is drying up
: Paragraph C mentions: "...in many developing regions, over-the-counter access to antibiotics remains entirely unregulated." 10. Answer: diagnostic technologies
Strategy: Locate the keywords from the question stem in the text, read the surrounding sentences carefully, and eliminate options that contradict the text. 2. Matching Information to Paragraphs The discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century
The growing global threat of antibiotic resistance has become a pressing concern in recent years. As bacteria evolve to resist the effects of antibiotics, the medical community is faced with a daunting challenge: finding effective treatments for infections that were once easily curable. In this article, we will explore the concept of antibiotic resistance, its causes, consequences, and the global response to this emerging threat. We will also provide IELTS reading answers and insights to help test-takers prepare for this topic.
The rise of antibiotic resistance is one of the most pressing health challenges of the 21st century, often described by medical experts as a "silent pandemic." Since the discovery of penicillin, antibiotics have been the bedrock of modern medicine, turning once-fatal infections into manageable conditions. However, the overconsumption and misuse of these drugs have accelerated the evolution of "superbugs"—bacteria that can survive the very treatments designed to kill them. This phenomenon occurs when bacteria evolve mechanisms to
The rise of antibiotic resistance is driven by human actions. In human medicine, antibiotics are often prescribed for (6) ____________________, and patients sometimes fail to complete the full course, allowing resistant bacteria to thrive. In agriculture, antibiotics are widely used in (7) ____________________ and aquaculture to promote growth in overcrowded conditions. The result is that common infections are becoming harder to treat, and doctors may need to use (8) ____________________ drugs that are more toxic. The WHO has declared AMR one of the top ten global public health threats, and without action, annual deaths could reach (9) ____________________ by 2050.