Are diseases outsmarting modern medicine?

The world may be heading for a post-antibiotic era, where modern medicines can no longer stand up to common infections like pneumonia, E.coli and MRSA, according to a new report by the World Health Organization.  

"For the last 20 years, certain bacteria have developed very sophisticated resistance mechanisms. Now, we are facing a situation where we don't have the antibiotics to treat patients because of the existence of these pan-resistant germs," said Dr. Adrian Streinu Cercel of the Matei Bals Infectious Disease Institute.

The report, released Wednesday, was the first of its kind, warning that antimicrobial resistance is not a thing of the future — it's happening right now.

Below are a few diseases for which the medicines used as a “last resort” are quickly becoming ineffective.

Another example of this growing problem is staphylococcus, or staph, infection, common in hospitals.

The report says that if a patient gets MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), then he or she has a 64 percent greater chance of dying than if the patient were to catch the nonresistant form of the strain.

But have no fear: Humanity can act. To stop bacteria from mutating into stronger forms, the report recommends using antibiotics only when prescribed by a doctor, fully completing prescriptions and never sharing medication.

What does this rise of drug-resistant diseases mean in the more impoverished areas of the world?

What do these findings mean for the future of modern medicine?

Have diseases outsmarted humanity?

We consulted a panel of experts for the Inside Story.

The above panel was assembled for the broadcast of "Inside Story" to discuss.

For future hard-hitting conversations, find Al Jazeera America on your TV.