Confronting Antimicrobial Resistance Across Sectors
The growing resistance of many bacteria, viruses, and fungi to existing treatments poses a major challenge across multiple fields, including medicine, agriculture, veterinary sciences, and environmental sciences. Confronting this challenge requires a collaborative, “One Health” approach.
Important Definitions
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Antimicrobials
Antimicrobials are medicines such as antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics that treat diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites in humans, animals, and plants.
Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites become resistant to existing medicines, threatening human and animal health and compromising agricultural production and food security. Antimicrobial resistance develops through genetic changes in micro-organisms that can be accelerated by the overuse of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines.
One Health
One Health is an approach that recognizes the linkages between human, animal, and environmental health and advances cross-sectoral collaboration and solutions.
Expert Meeting
Advancing Interprofessional Education for AMR Through a One Health Lens
The NAM and the Forum on Microbial Threats hosted an expert meeting in February 2026, funded by the Wellcome Trust, to discuss potential approaches for improving the training of medical, veterinary, agricultural, and environmental professionals with respect to antimicrobial resistance. A published summary of the discussion is forthcoming.
Related Resources
Forum on Microbial Threats
For 30 years, the Forum on Microbial Threats at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has provided a trusted explore to discuss scientific and policy challenges posed by emerging and reemerging infectious diseases in humans, animals, and plants.
Contact Information
Want to get involved?
Contact Melissa Laitner, NAM Director of Special Initiatives, at [email protected]. You can also join our Infectious Diseases mailing list for updates.
Header image credit: DFID/Will Crowne.
