Key points from article :
A UK-funded study by the Center for Global Development warns that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could cause global economic losses nearing $2 trillion a year by 2050. Researchers assessed 122 countries and found the US, UK, EU, China, and Japan would be the hardest hit. The study links recent foreign aid cuts—like the UK axing the Fleming Fund and the US slashing 80% of aid—to worsening AMR rates. These reductions could speed up the spread of resistant bacteria, leading to more deaths and higher treatment costs.
The report predicts that AMR could cause 1.34 million deaths in the US and 184,000 in the UK annually by 2050. Treating these infections would also become more expensive—costing nearly twice as much as treating regular infections. Health costs in the US could jump from $15.5 billion to $57 billion a year; in the UK, from $900 million to $3.7 billion.
Worse, the economic toll includes a reduced workforce and lower productivity. However, if countries act now—by funding better antibiotics, controlling misuse, and developing new drugs—they can reduce deaths and even boost their GDP. The findings were supported by IHME, and published by The Guardian based on economic modeling and health forecasts.