WHO Targets Antibiotic Manufacturing Waste in Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance

After years of concern and limited industry response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first-ever guidelines aimed at tackling wastewater and solid waste from antibiotic manufacturers that contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This move comes ahead of the United Nations General Assembly meeting on September 26, which will focus on addressing AMR.

Antibiotic pollution is a significant factor in the global rise of AMR, which threatens the efficacy of antibiotics, including those produced at the very facilities responsible for the pollution, according to WHO.

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to treatment, leading to more severe illness and a higher risk of spreading hard-to-treat infections.

Yukiko Nakatani, Ph.D., WHO’s assistant director-general for AMR, stressed the importance of controlling pollution from antibiotic production to prevent the rise of drug-resistant bacteria, which could spread worldwide and jeopardize public health.

The new WHO recommendations set targets to protect human health and aquatic life by mitigating the risk of AMR from all antibiotics used in humans, animals, and plants. The guidelines cover the entire production process, from manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients to packaging.

In 2016, the Changing Markets organization revealed a direct link between antibiotic manufacturing waste and the discovery of drug-resistant bacteria in water near production sites, highlighting the global scale of the issue.