Since penicillin was first discovered in 1928, life-saving antimicrobials have revolutionised our society and economy. Previously deadly diseases have become routine ailments, requiring little more than a brief treatment. These achievements are now at risk mainly because of the excessive or inappropriate use of antimicrobials, which has led to the increasing emergence and spread of multi-resistant bacteria. Without effective action to reverse current trends, we could face a return to the pre-antibiotic era, with simple wounds and infections causing significant harm and even death and routine medical procedures becoming very high risk.

AMR is a serious challenge, in the EU and globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO)1, AMR has already reached alarming levels in many parts of the world. High levels ofAMR in bacteria linked to numerous common infections (e.g. urinary tract infections, pneumonia, tuberculosis and gonorrhoea) have been observed in all WHO regions. Resistance to antivirals, such as those used to treat HIV, is also increasing.

Global efforts include the 2016 United Nations Political Declaration on AMR2 and the 2015 WHO Global Action Plan on AMR3, which was subsequently adopted by the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). AMR has also been addressed in the G7 and G20 forums.