Stanley Bergman, chairman and CEO of Henry Schein, discussed the potential global impact of a world without effective antibiotics before an audience of business, political, academic, and other leaders at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Switzerland.
Bergman participated in a public session, entitled "What if all known antibiotics lost their effectiveness?" on January 27.
His remarks highlighted the global public health, economic, and social ramifications of the hypothetical scenario of a world without effective antibiotics. He discussed the role of the healthcare industry in response to this type of scenario, including the challenges of likely supply chain breakdowns and major business impacts. The challenges are similar to those that occur in society's response to natural disasters and pandemics, he noted.
Bergman called for the strengthening of public-private collaboration to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics, promotion of vaccines as an antibiotic resistance prevention tool, and support for research and development to create new and better antibiotics.
"We cannot afford to wait for this potential nightmare scenario to take place before we act," he said. "Clearly all sectors -- including governments, intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations, academia, and the private sector -- have an essential role to play."
