Anti-infective research and development—problems, challenges, and solutions

In communities and hospitals around the world, the number of patients with antibiotic-resistant infections continues to climb. Our current armamentarium of drugs are gradually becoming ineffective and a new pipeline of robust compounds is needed urgently. In this Forum, we present several perspectives on the problems and pitfalls of drug discovery and development, the challenges faced by the practising physician, and potential solutions to protecting and safeguarding the public health of future generations.