Antimicrobial Resistance: An Emerging Global Threat to Modern Medicine

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) constitutes a critical challenge in contemporary healthcare. The proliferation of resistant bacteria threatens the safety of surgical procedures, cancer chemotherapy, and critical care worldwide. Increased mortality from drug-resistant infections results from both microbial adaptation and systemic deficiencies in surveillance, stewardship, and innovation. Although global awareness has increased, the development of new antibiotics remains limited, and disparities in access to effective therapies continue. Addressing this crisis requires a unified One Health approach that integrates human, animal, and environmental health. This editorial analyzes the scope of AMR, the economic and regulatory factors driving the decline in antibiotic innovation, and the urgent reforms needed to sustain modern medical practice.