Awareness week highlights dangers of superbugs and drug-resistant infections
World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week this week highlights a serious global health threat and the “dangerous experiment” of extending prescribing rights to non-medical professionals without safeguards.
In a media statement, AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen warned Australia risks a return to the medical dark ages if resistance to antimicrobials, including antibiotics, antivirals, and antifungals, is not addressed.
World AMR Week highlights the spread of drug-resistant infections and the importance of safe, appropriate antimicrobial use. This year’s theme — Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future — underscores the urgent need for global action to combat AMR, a crisis already affecting health systems, food security, environment, and economies worldwide.
Dr McMullen cautioned against policy decisions that could worsen the problem, such as expanding prescribing rights to non-medical professionals without appropriate safeguards, adding that while antibiotics are vital to modern medicine, they must be prescribed carefully and responsibly.
“Overprescribing and inappropriate use are major contributors to resistance,” Dr McMullen said.
“Australia has traditionally restricted prescribing to medical practitioners, which remains the safest and preferred model. We must avoid dangerous experiments, which risk not only fragmentation of care, but also patient safety through antimicrobial resistance.”
An AMA report, Antimicrobial resistance: the silent pandemic, noted Australia is well-placed to lead global efforts to tackle AMR, particularly in the Asia-Pacific, but highlighted gaps in public awareness, stewardship, research incentives, and national One Health governance.
