WHO Issues Global Guidelines to Combat Antibiotic Pollution from Manufacturing
To address the growing issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the World Health Organization (WHO) released its inaugural guidelines on managing wastewater and solid waste from antibiotic production. AMR is a significant threat to global health and food security. Pollution from antibiotic manufacturing sites can contribute to the development of drug-resistant bacteria, which in turn diminishes the effectiveness of antibiotics worldwide.
“Pharmaceutical waste from antibiotic manufacturing can facilitate the emergence of new drug-resistant bacteria, which can spread globally and threaten our health. Controlling pollution from antibiotic production contributes to keeping these life-saving medicines effective for everyone", said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for AMR ad interim.
The new guidance, which comes ahead of the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) high-level meeting on AMR later this month, provides much-needed information on the environmental damage caused by the manufacturing of medicines. It showed that consumers worldwide are unaware of how to dispose of antibiotics when they are not used, for example, when they expire or when a course is finished but there is still antibiotic left over.
The new guidelines address every phase of the process, from the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to the formulation of finished products and their primary packaging. These guidelines aim to assist “regulators, procurers, and inspectors” in establishing effective standards for controlling antibiotic pollution.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious issue that arises when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to medications. This resistance can make infections harder to treat, increasing the risk of death. According to the WHO, bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million deaths globally in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million more. The primary drivers of AMR are the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials, compounded by the fact that many people worldwide lack access to essential antimicrobial medications.
