The official figures have been raising concerns about the number of deaths linked to superbugs, referring to a significant 17% rise in England last year, compared to the previous year.
The data has been released by the UK Health Security Agency, and concerns have been arising about the ongoing increase in antimicrobial resistance.
This concern is partly fueled by the fact that 22% of antibiotics were dispensed through the private sector in 2024.
However, the increase in private advising explained by the Pharmacy First scheme, a flagship policy of Rishi Sunak’s government that enables patients to be prescribed antibiotics for diseases without seeing a GP, and questions are arising whether the shift in potentially inappropriate patterns risks the rise in resistance.
Antibiotics resistance is one of the prevailing health threats, and people are contracting infections that cannot be efficiently treated by antibiotics. This resistance causes serious illness and ultimately leads to death.
The disclosure of drug-resistant strains is an inescapable outcome of natural selection. It has been observed that whenever the drugs are used, they exterminate some bugs, but any survivors multiply and are circulated.
Meanwhile, to restrict the use of antibiotics to when they are most needed is one of the most challenging ways to counter the spread of resistance, a problem that is predicted to cause as many as 10 million deaths globally by the year 2050.
The data showed that cases of bacteraemia caused by antibiotic-resistance rose from 18,740 in 2023 to 20,484 in 2024, an increase of 9.3%.
On the contrary, the estimated number of deaths in people with a recurring infection rose from 2,041 in 2023 to 2,379 in 2024, which is a 17% increase.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data elucidated facts about the Pharmacy First scheme, which is specifically designed to free up GPs to handle multifactorial diseases.
The study suggests that the increase in death rate linked to antibiotic-resistant superbug (AMR) in England is rapidly worsening and is demanding immediate and intensified policy action from the UK government.
Additionally, the report concluded that the increase in antibiotic supply through the Pharmacy First service is momentous and should be interpreted warily and in the context of broader changes in how patients access care.