In the United States, over 500 people lose a limb daily, the Amputee Coalition says, adding that the number of people living with limb loss is expected to double by 2050, reaching 3.6 million. Affecting people of all ages, income levels, and backgrounds, limb loss not only impacts amputees physically but mentally as well. According to the Amputee Coalition, 36% of people living with limb loss suffer from depression.
In addition, these individuals are at higher risk of developing drug-resistant infections, such as antimicrobial resistance, as reported by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) last year.
“An amputation itself can cause a drug-resistant infection,” as do cancer treatments and joint replacement surgeries, said Mary Richards, President and CEO of the Amputee Coalition.
In a move to reduce antimicrobial resistance, BIO is advocating for legislation that would address the challenges in the antimicrobial marketplace to ensure we can stop this “silent pandemic” that disproportionately affects at-risk patients.
April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month (LLLDAM). The month is designated to raise awareness about limb loss and limb differences.
This year’s LLLDAM theme is Your Ordinary is Extraordinary, and it highlights the limb loss and limb difference community and the vital need to support efforts that advance equitable medical access, care, and coverage, the Amputee Coalition notes in a press release.
