Antibiotic resistance crisis worsening because of collapse in supply

Patients given wrong dose, wrong type, or poor quality medicines because supply is waning

The antibiotic resistance crisis which is threatening to render many diseases untreatable is being fuelled not just by overuse of the drugs, but a fragile supply chain that is at risk of collapse, experts have warned.

The authors of a white paper by the Dutch non-profit organisation Access to Medicine say a lack of access to specific antibiotics can lead to less appropriate drugs being prescribed for an infection, or even the use of lower doses - both of which increase the risk of antibiotic resistance - as well as delay for treatment. What's more, they say, low stocks can lead to price hikes and mean poor quality medicines become rife.