The CDC estimates that approximately 20-50% of all antibiotic use in the United States is either inappropriate or all-together unnecessary. This inappropriate antibiotic use can lead to various antibiotic-associated collateral damage, including adverse drug events (e.g., side effects allergic reactions, drug interactions), superinfections (e.g., C. diff, yeast, other opportunistic pathogens), and the development of multi-drug resistant organisms. Reports estimate that if antimicrobial resistance is not addressed, it is predicted that by 2050, antimicrobial resistance will result in 10 million deaths annually, costing over $100 trillion in economic output.

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