What Is Ethically Important About Antimicrobial Resistance?

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a phenomenon of adaptive change in bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that renders them less susceptible to treatments designed to control them. The World Health Organization (WHO) named AMR one of the top 10 threats to global health in 2019, alongside viral pandemics and climate change. AMR is not only a technological or medical challenge but also an ethical challenge affecting individuals, communities, societies, and even ecosystems. Patients with AMR may face longer, more invasive, and costly treatment, diminished quality of life, or even death. They may also face stigma, isolation, and uncertainty. The human body provides an environment for trillions of microorganisms, which play a surprising role in health and disease. AMR becomes a contingent feature of the individual when viewed as an entire unit with their microbiome.