How law can help solve the collective action problem of antimicrobial resistance

Hoffman, Steven J.; Bakshi, Reema; Rogers Van Katwyk, Susan

Global action is clearly required to address the global problem of AMR. However, specific measures to maintain the effectiveness of antimicrobials and to increase the development of new antimicrobials and related products have not been pursued sufficiently or at scale. As such, it is our global governance structures that ought to be reformed to address AMR and its root social causes. The most sustainable and effective method to instigate such change is through an international legal agreement, whether it is called a convention, covenant, regulation, treaty, or any one of the other more than 30 names for it. 16 Current progress towards global collective action has already been made through existing international legal agreements. For example, the International Health Regulations require WHO member states to monitor and report disease outbreaks, and both the WHO and the World Organization for Animal Health have created international standards for antimicrobial surveillance programmes. 17 These global standards are helpful for encouraging a common approach to challenges, ensuring the comparability of information and minimizing the between-country differences, inequities, and market distortions that are barring significant global action at the moment.