In the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) coverage of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) webinar on new guidance from the WHO, “important but neglected challenge” in fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR), OHT’s Dr. Ramanan Laxminarayan shared his views.

The guidance sets targets to control the spread of AMR from antibiotic manufacturing plants. These plants are known to pollute with antibiotic residue but are not well-regulated.

The WHO and other experts think that setting safety targets for antibiotic manufacturing could help reduce risks, even though it’s not clear how much pollution contributes to the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens that affect human and animal health.

Dr. Laxminarayan told CIDRAP, “There’s a risk of making a serious problem even worse. These high concentrations could lead to significant trouble.”

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