America News Agency

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its first guide on antibiotic pollution caused by production.

The new guide on wastewater and solid waste management for antibiotic production sheds light on an important but neglected challenge ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) on September 26, 2024.

The emergence and spread of AMR caused by antibiotic pollution could weaken the global effectiveness of antibiotics, including medicines produced in pollution-responsible manufacturing facilities.

Despite widespread documentation of high levels of antibiotic pollution, the issue remains largely unregulated, and environmental emissions are rarely addressed in quality assurance criteria.

The guide presents targets based on human health to reduce the risk of AMR emergence and spread and targets to address the risks antibiotics pose to aquatic life when used on humans, animals, or plants.

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to drugs. It makes people sicker and increases the risk of spreading hard-to-treat infections, disease, and death. The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials largely drives AMR.