Antibiotics and Addiction
The opioid crisis and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are more connected than most people think.
In the latest addition to the AMR Strategic Coalition (ASC) Blog Series, Jomana Musmar, PhD, MS, ASC’s CEO and Co-Founder, explores a critical (and often overlooked) intersection: how the right antibiotic, prescribed at the right time, can do more than treat an infection. It can help prevent the cycle of opioid dependency from ever starting.
When clinicians get ahead of infection early with the right antibiotic at the right time, they aren't just treating bacteria. They're addressing the root cause of pain, reducing the inflammatory cascade, shortening hospital stays, and narrowing a patient's window of exposure to high-potency opioids.
Antibiotic Stewardship and Opioid Stewardship are two sides of the same coin. Precision in antibiotic prescribing is also a preventative measure against addiction.
This is why investing in novel antibiotic development isn't just an AMR issue, it's a public health imperative with consequences across our entire healthcare system.
Published: March 2026
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