Action on AMR Can’t Wait

The document highlights the immediate threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), noting that the CDC estimates 2 million infections and 23,000 deaths annually in the US. It identifies key drivers of AMR, including the over-prescription of antibiotics, a lack of pharmaceutical research into alternatives, and the use of antibiotics for livestock growth. A significant emphasis is placed on pharmaceutical pollution in India and China, where high concentrations of antibiotics in water sources create reservoirs of resistance that can be exported globally.

• The CDC reports that at least 2 million people in the United States are infected with resistant bacteria annually, resulting in 23,000 deaths.
• AMR is driven by several systemic failures: the incorrect or unnecessary prescription of antibiotics to humans, the failure of pharmaceutical companies to develop new alternatives, and the use of antibiotics in livestock for growth rather than healing.
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing pollution, particularly in India and China, creates environmental reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance that pose a global risk as superbugs can be exported worldwide.
• Independent research in India, Pakistan, South Korea, and Taiwan has detected antibiotic concentrations in water sources downstream from manufacturers that sometimes exceed maximal therapeutic levels.

APA

Jones, S. (2016). Action on AMR Can’t Wait. Mighty Earth. https://mightyearth.org/article/amr-in-the-us-backgrounder/

Chicago

Jones, Sydney. Action on AMR Can’t Wait. Mighty Earth, 2016. https://mightyearth.org/article/amr-in-the-us-backgrounder/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Jones |first1=Sydney |title=Action on AMR Can’t Wait |publisher=Mighty Earth |date=15 September 2016 |url=https://mightyearth.org/article/amr-in-the-us-backgrounder/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{jones2016action, author = {Jones, Sydney}, title = {{Action on AMR Can’t Wait}}, institution = {Mighty Earth}, year = {2016}, month = sep, url = {https://mightyearth.org/article/amr-in-the-us-backgrounder/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }