"The growing global threat of antibiotic resistance" is a recurring theme in IELTS because it tests a candidate's ability to handle cause-effect logic, numerical data, and scientific nomenclature. By verifying your answers against the principles outlined above—understanding the mechanisms, memorizing the key statistics (700k deaths, 2.8M US infections, 10M by 2050), and avoiding the common traps—you will confidently tackle this passage in your exam.
The pipeline for new antibiotics is dangerously dry. Most major pharmaceutical companies have abandoned antibiotic research because it is less profitable than drugs for chronic diseases. Between 2017 and 2021, only 12 new antibiotics entered the market, and most were variations of existing classes. The WHO warns that without innovation, we face a ‘post-antibiotic era’ where common infections like strep throat or a scratch could once again kill. "The growing global threat of antibiotic resistance" is