A new report released by the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance is calling for quick diagnostic tests for bacteria in doctors' offices.
The overuse of antibiotics, which only work for bacterial infections, has caused a rise in resistant bacteria, or "superbugs".
Lord Jim O'Neill, chairman of the review, said: "For far too long we haven't recognized the huge cost to society of increasing resistance when we use antibiotics that we don't need.
"To avoid the tragedy of 10 million people dying every year by 2050, the world needs rapid diagnostics to improve our use of antibiotics."
"They are essential to get patients the right treatment, cut down on the huge amount of unnecessary use and make our drugs last for longer."
The tests would eliminate prescribing antibiotics to patients suffering from viral infections. Current diagnostic tests can take up to 36 hours to culture bacteria and determine which antibiotic is effective against the specific strain.
Many doctors feel pressured to treat patients quickly and prescribe antibiotics on a just in case" basis, leading to over-prescribing.
The report also noted stronger antibiotics are being prescribed for bacteria such as gonorrhea, which can be treated with standard antibiotics with fewer side effects such as ciprofloxacin and penicillin. This practice is increasing drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea, which may lead to untreatable cases in the near future.
According to the report, many drug companies are not interested in producing quick diagnostic tests for bacteria, as these would reduce the number of prescriptions, and in turn reduce profits.
The report said that some quick diagnostic tests are available now, such as the C-reactive protein blood test, which indicates whether an infection is bacterial. These tests have been widely used in Scandinavia and the Netherlands for years, and those countries have some of the lowest rates of antibiotic prescribing in Europe.
Prof Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer for England, said: "Rapid diagnostics have a pivotal role to pay in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria.
"We need co-ordinated international action to help spur innovation and improve antibiotic use before it is too late."
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