Phage Therapy and Global Health Equity: Opportunities in the Era of Antibiotic Resistance

Despite progress in controlling microbial infections, the global burden of pathogenic bacteria remains high. Moreover, the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has increased and is likely to continue. Consequently, recent research has focused on antibiotic alternatives to slow the proliferation of resistance and improve patient outcomes. One promising approach is phage therapy, which uses lytic viruses of bacteria to treat bacterial infections. However, an underexplored potential benefit is its capacity to enhance health outcomes across the socioeconomic spectrum and improve healthcare equity. Drawing on the history of phage therapy, recent clinical successes, and advancements in research, we argue that phage therapy is well-suited to advance health and healthcare equity. This is because it offers a comparatively greater potential to increase access and reduce disadvantages faced by lower socioeconomic groups relative to conventional antibiotics. Based on these points, we propose research objectives that aim to achieve these scientific and ethical goals.