The AMR Narrative

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What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?

 

AMR is an acronym for Antimicrobial Resistance.  

AMR is a natural phenomenon where microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to become resistant to the antimicrobial medicines that were designed to treat them. This means that the medicines become less effective or completely ineffective in treating the infections caused by these resistant microorganisms.

AMR is a growing public health concern worldwide, as it poses a threat to the effectiveness of many commonly used antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines. It can lead to longer illnesses, increased healthcare costs, and in some cases, even death.

Antimicrobials can be grouped according to the microorganisms they target. For example, antifungals treat fungi, antibiotics treat bacteria, antivirals treat viruses, and antiparasitics treat parasites.

One of the major contributors to AMR is the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials.

Some examples of this overuse include human health where doctors sometimes prescribe antibiotics based on symptoms a patient presents rather than a confirmed diagnosis. Common medical conditions where antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily are flu, colds, and COVID-19 which are caused by viruses as opposed to bacteria. 

Some common conditions that rely on antimicrobials include (not limited to):

  • The use of antimicrobial medicines whilst undergoing Cancer treatment
  • Using antibiotics to prevent or treat bacterial infections during or after surgery
  • Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs or sometimes also called Bladder Infections)
  • Organ transplants, prosthetic implants, and amputations are at a high risk of infection and rely on antibiotics to treat them if they occur
  • Tuberculosis and some other respiratory infections which rely on antibiotics
  • Various zoonotic diseases (i.e. human diseases caused by insects and animals) such as malaria where antimalarial medicines are used and Lyme disease caused by ticks
  • Bacterial infections caused by food including Listeria and Salmonella
  • In dentistry, only when infections appear
  • Where patients are immune-compromised such as those living with HIV/AIDS or a rare disease
  • Mothers and newborns where infections can be caused during childbirth including maternal sepsis

Antibiotics

treat bacterial infections

Antivirals

treat viral infections

Antifungals

treat fungal infections

Antiparasitics

treat parasitic infections

One Health: Antimicrobials in humans, animals, food production and the environment

The use of antimicrobials in animal farming and food production can have a significant impact on human health and the environment, highlighting the importance of a One Health approach. This approach recognizes that human health, animal health, and environmental health are all interconnected.

The use of antimicrobials in animal farming can lead to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the animals and the environment. This can result in the spread of resistant bacteria to humans through direct contact, consumption of contaminated food, or exposure to contaminated soil, water, and air. Once these bacteria infect humans, it can be difficult to treat them with antibiotics, which can lead to longer illness, increased healthcare costs, and higher mortality rates.

In addition, the use of antimicrobials in animal farming can also have an impact on the environment, as it can contribute to the development of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in soil, water, and other ecosystems. This can impact the health of wildlife and contribute to the spread of resistant bacteria to humans.

Therefore, it is important to use antimicrobials responsibly and only when necessary, both in animal farming and human medicine. A One Health approach that involves collaboration between human health, animal health, and environmental health sectors is necessary to address the issue of AMR and reduce the risk to humans.

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Dr Marie-Anne Bouldouyre

Dr Marie-Anne Bouldouyre is an infectious diseases physician and hospital practitioner in Paris. Twelve years of clinical work in a suburban hospital shaped her understanding of access to care, patient relationships, and the daily reality of antimicrobial resistance.

Since 2022, she has led the Regional Antibiotic Stewardship Centre in Île-de-France and coordinates the national network, working with a multidisciplinary team to promote responsible antibiotic use and strengthen collaboration among healthcare professionals. She also continues to manage complex infections at Saint-Louis Hospital.

Convinced that antimicrobial resistance cannot be tackled by healthcare workers alone, she advocates for the active involvement of patients : understanding, questioning, and taking part in decisions about antibiotics. Their stories are essential to making this issue visible and concrete.

She is proud to collaborate with initiatives such as The AMR Narrative and hopes to foster similar projects in France to give patients a voice in this shared fight.

Dr Erva Cinar

Dr Erva Cinar is a London based paediatric resident doctor and clinical researcher with interest in infectious diseases.

She is currently completing a Master’s in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Through the World Medical Association’s Junior Doctor’s Network (WMA-JDN) AMR Working Group, she engages in policy and advocacy on antimicrobial resistance and stewardship at global level.

Alongside her clinical and academic roles, she works with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the International Child Health Group (ICHG); leads on organising teaching resources and educational events to improve research skills for UK paediatric trainees and for global child health professionals.

Hamu Madzedze

Hamu Madzedze is a seasoned Zimbabwean journalist with over 15 years’ experience.

She previously worked for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation as a reporter and sub-editor, before establishing an independent website, 365HealthDiaries, which focuses on health and gender issues.

She holds a BA in Media Studies and a BA (Special Honours) in Communication and Media from the Zimbabwe Open University, as well as a diploma from the Christian College of Southern Africa.

Her work has been recognised with several awards, including the Global AMR Special Mention Award (2024), the Sexual Health Rights and Equity Fellowship Special Mention Award (2025), and the Merck Foundation Award (2024) for outstanding coverage of health issues, gender, infertility, and genital mutilation, where she achieved third position in the Online Category.

Hamu is passionate about addressing AMR through the media.

Jomana F. Musmar

Dr. Jomana Musmar is a distinguished global policy expert and proactive leader with over fifteen years of government experience in strategic planning, operational design, and policy execution. Renowned for simplifying complex topics with expertise and diplomacy, she has spearheaded innovative solutions to global health challenges, shaped impactful policies, and advanced national and international missions.

As the Executive Director of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, she established and led the council’s operations, liaising with over 600 experts, worldwide, across government, industry, and academia. Her efforts culminated in the development of critical recommendations addressing antimicrobial resistance and interrelated One Health issues, influencing both domestic and global health strategies.

In her tenure as Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Office of Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS Policy, at the US Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Musmar oversaw the formulation and implementation of national health strategies for vaccines and a range of infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis. Her leadership and technical expertise facilitated groundbreaking policies during national emergencies, including responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and initiatives to combat congenital syphilis and childhood vaccination disruptions. Dr. Musmar holds a Ph.D. in Biodefense from George Mason University, a Master’s degree in Biomedical Science policy and Advocacy from Georgetown University, and is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Fluent in English and Arabic, she is a sought-after speaker and advisor, having represented the United States at premier global health conferences.

Her published works on antimicrobial resistance, pandemic preparedness, and national health security underscore her reputation as a thought leader and innovator in public health and biodefense.

Chris Shaffer

Chris Shaffer was a music, special education teacher, and high school principal for 45 years. At the end of his educational career, he was thrust into the world of AMR infections when a number of abdominal surgeries left him with an E-coli infection which failed to respond to antibiotics. After doctors in the USA left him with little hope for a cure, diminishing health, and a bleak prognosis, he set out on his own.

Chris found success in phage therapy at the Eliava Phage Therapy Center in Tbilisi, Georgia. With phage therapy giving Chris his life back, he has dedicated his retirement years to advocating for and helping raise awareness of phage therapy used for AMR infections. He tells the story of his phage journey in a book titled, Finding Phage: How I Partnered with a Friendly Virus to Cure My Deadly Bacterial Superinfection. His website, phagetherpyusa.com helps others learn to understand the healing power of phage therapy.

Demi Christofi

Demi is an Associate Scientific Director at a medical communications agency, with a background in microbiology and a longstanding focus on antimicrobial resistance. She holds an MSc in Microbiology, where she first became interested in the global challenge of resistance and the need to bring scientific understanding to wider audiences.

Demi’s career has centred on a simple but powerful belief: that how we communicate science matters. Her work focuses on making complex data clear, engaging, and accessible – whether for healthcare professionals, policy makers, or the patients most affected by infection and resistance. She has contributed to a wide range of AMR-focused projects, including educational programmes, congress communications and stewardship initiatives.

A central thread in Demi’s work is the importance of the patient voice. She is passionate about making sure real-world experiences of treatment failure, recurrent infections, and the anxiety surrounding resistance are not lost in the data. She believes that listening to patients and involving them meaningfully is essential for shaping more effective, human-centred responses to AMR.

Demi is also a strong advocate of the One Health approach, recognising AMR as a complex, interconnected issue that spans human health, animal health, and the environment. She is particularly drawn to efforts that move beyond siloed thinking and focus on practical, joined-up solutions.

In 2025, Demi joined The AMR Narrative as an Independent Advisor, where she supports the charity’s mission to centre communication, community, and inclusion in the global AMR response.

Outside of work, she is a Girlguiding unit leader and a qualified yoga teacher. These roles reflect her commitment to care, learning, and creating supportive spaces for others.

Andrea Hartley

Andrea has worked in health communications and campaigning for 3 decades. She is committed to fighting AMR through timely and appropriate communications globally,.

Andrea set up Skating Panda, the creative social and environmental impact consultancy, over a decade ago and drives its impact and growth. Focused on original and lasting public interest communications as well as issue strategy and advocacy, the Panda team has a track record of prompting tipping points in the status quo that drive better social and planetary outcomes.

Andrea’s combination of commercial marketing and development experience with deep issue knowledge have been sought by decision-makers at global summits, corporate and NGO board members, and have enabled her to set up multi-million fundraising platforms and push through policies that change and save lives. 

Andrea is Vice Chair of mothers2mothers, the world’s largest employer of women living with HIV, and a Board Director of Maymessy, a food poverty social enterprise.

A lifelong advocate for gender equality, she played a key role in establishing the UK’s Women’s Equality Party.

Esmita Charani

Professor Esmita Charani is a pharmacist and researcher investigating how we use antibiotics in different cultural and social contexts. She works with teams in the UK, India, and South Africa to develop research programmes investigating all aspects of antimicrobial resistance in human populations with a focus in hospital settings.

She has experience in communicating her research with patients and the public through various media including animations, blogs, and educational videos.