Will the bugs win? Antibiotic over-prescribing needs urgent attention, experts say

There are fears the rate of antibiotic resistance in Australia could reach alarming levels by 2050, as experts warn of a culture of “over-prescribing”.

In a new report out of Bond University, experts say the rise of resistant super bugs could mean some surgeries and treatments are too dangerous to perform, which could lead to a regression of medical care back to the 1930s before antibiotics were developed.

Professor del Mar, one of the authors of the report, explained on 3AW Breakfast antibiotics were being over-used and the biggest scope for change was in GP clinics.

Deaths from antibiotic resistance will “steadily get worse until 2050, when deaths from currently treated infections will overtake total cancer deaths,” the report warns.

Ross: A friend of mine texted me earlier saying ‘the bugs will win’.

Professor del Mar: Bugs eventually always develop resistance…

“What we have to do is conserve the antibiotics we use which kills them to make sure they don’t get resistance,” he said.

“The good news is if you don’t use antibiotics resistance goes away – they lose resistance.

“We need to reduce use the amount of antibiotics we use, right across the world, but we are big users of antibiotics here in Australia.”

Click PLAY to hear the interview on 3AW Breakfast