What is AMR
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is when bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites stop responding to the medicines designed to kill them. When this happens, infections become harder or sometimes impossible to treat, and routine medical procedures become riskier.
AMR develops naturally over time, but it accelerates when antimicrobials are misused or overused in humans, animals, or agriculture. This includes taking antibiotics when they aren’t needed, not completing prescribed courses, or using antimicrobials in farming.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance?utm_source=copilot.com
Why AMR matters
- Common infections can become life‑threatening.
- Surgeries, cancer treatments, and childbirth become more dangerous because they rely on effective antibiotics.
- Drug‑resistant infections already contribute to millions of deaths globally each year.
- New antibiotics are not being developed fast enough to replace the ones losing effectiveness. https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/prevention/antimicrobial-resistance-amr/?utm_source=copilot.com
What drives AMR
- Inappropriate or unnecessary use of antibiotics
- Poor infection prevention and control
- Limited access to clean water and sanitation
- Overuse of antimicrobials in agriculture
- Lack of new antimicrobial medicines in development
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance?utm_source=copilot.com
What helps slow AMR
- Using antibiotics only when medically necessary
- Completing prescribed courses
- Preventing infections through hygiene, vaccination, and safe food practices
- Strengthening surveillance and global cooperation
- Supporting research into new treatments and diagnostics