Vaccines could reduce antibiotic use by 2.5 billion doses annually: WHO

Vaccines can significantly reduce the use of antibiotics, helping to combat the growing issue of antimicrobial resistance, as highlighted by a WHO report.

In Short

• Vaccines against 24 different pathogens could cut global antibiotic use by 22%
• Nearly 5 million deaths are linked to antimicrobial resistance each year
• Treating resistant superbugs costs hospitals $730 billion globally each year

Vaccines can significantly reduce the use of antibiotics, thus, helping to combat the growing issue of antimicrobial resistance.

A new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) highlights that vaccines against 24 different pathogens could cut global antibiotic use by 22%, which translates to a reduction of 2.5 billion daily doses every year.

This would be a major step in addressing antimicrobial resistance, a problem caused largely by the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial (bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses) medicines.

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites become resistant to antimicrobial drugs, making infections harder to treat.

This leads to increased illness, death, and the spread of infections that are more difficult to cure.

Globally, nearly 5 million deaths are linked to AMR each year, driven by the overuse of antimicrobials in some places and the lack of access to these essential medicines in others.

Vaccines play a critical role in reducing the need for antibiotics because they prevent infections in the first place. By stopping diseases before they start, vaccines help to slow the rise of drug-resistant pathogens.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasised this point, stating, "Prevention is better than cure, and increasing access to existing vaccines and developing new ones for critical diseases, like tuberculosis, is crucial to saving lives and tackling AMR."

THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF VACCINES ON AMR

Pneumococcus and Hib vaccines: These vaccines, which are already available, can prevent deadly infections like pneumonia and meningitis. By increasing global coverage, they could avert 1,06,000 AMR-related deaths each year.

New TB and Klebsiella vaccines: Once developed and widely distributed, vaccines for tuberculosis and Klebsiella pneumoniae could save 5,43,000 lives annually by preventing infections that are hard to treat with antibiotics.

Saving antibiotic doses: Vaccines for common diseases like typhoid and malaria could save millions of antibiotic doses every year. For instance, malaria vaccines could reduce the misuse of antibiotics by up to 25 million doses annually.

Economic impact: Treating resistant pathogens costs hospitals an estimated $730 billion globally each year. By introducing more vaccines, up to one-third of these costs could be saved.

Global action: World leaders recently committed to reducing AMR-related deaths by 10% by 2030. Expanding access to vaccines will be a key strategy in achieving this goal.

The WHO highlighted that expanding vaccine access and developing new vaccines will be essential in addressing this global health crisis.