New AMR APPG Report Sets Out Plan to Rebuild the UK’s Leadership in Antimicrobial Discovery

The Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) All-Party Parliamentary Group convened parliamentarians, scientists, clinicians and industry leaders to examine how the UK can help kickstart global antimicrobial discovery in response to rising AMR and a long‑stalled pipeline.

Participants stressed that modern medicine, from cancer treatment to surgery and maternal health, depends on antibiotics that are rapidly losing effectiveness. There are only around 3,000 antimicrobial researchers worldwide compared with 46,000 in oncology, illustrating just how far antimicrobial discovery has fallen behind other areas of medical research. The discussion highlighted the growing pressure AMR places on the NHS, the economy and national security, and the urgent need to rebuild global antimicrobial research and innovation capacity – an area where the UK can play a catalytic role.

Key recommendations

The report sets out a series of recommendations that the UK Government can take forward to help catalyse global antimicrobial discovery and secure the UK’s leadership in this area:

• Position antimicrobial innovation as a flagship priority for delivering the Life Sciences Sector Plan
• Establish a multi‑year AMR talent and training programme to rebuild and retain the UK antimicrobial workforce
• Strengthen early‑stage funding for antimicrobial discovery, including support for SMEs and mission‑driven academic groups
• Establish a clear national owner for antimicrobial innovation and strengthen cross government coordination
• Embed international partnerships into UK antimicrobial R&D, using science diplomacy to accelerate discovery and ensure equitable global access

Together, these actions underpin the report’s call for a UK Antimicrobial Discovery Mission – a unifying national effort to protect modern medicine and restore UK leadership in antimicrobial discovery as we approach the 2028 centenary of penicillin, the UK discovery that transformed global public health and was brought to the world through international partnership.

Download the full meeting report: Securing the Future of Modern Medicine by Rebuilding the UK’s Leadership in Antimicrobial Discovery