Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest challenges of our time. The emergence and spread of AMR have reached an alarming level and resistance to antimicrobial medicines is growing. Infections that were previously treatable are claiming lives, affecting livelihoods, compromising health systems and undermining our ability to achieve universal health coverage. In 2019, bacterial AMR in the WHO European Region was associated with over half a million deaths. Each year, increased health expenditure and reduced workforce productivity due to AMR are costing countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area nearly €11.7 billion. The challenge is not only to keep life-saving medicines working; there are also widespread supply issues with existing medicines and new ones are not being developed fast enough. AMR jeopardizes our efforts to prepare for and respond to future and current pandemics and health emergencies. Confronting this global burden requires everyone to be on board.
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