In this podcast, Jo Raven, Senior Manager, Research and Engagements, is joined by Professor Will Gaze from the University of Exeter Medical School and David Tsoupros, Vice President of Senior Research at AllianceBernstein, to discuss what the UN has called the “silent pandemic” within our food system that’s threatening food security, the environment, industries from farming to pharmaceuticals, and global public health.
Antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, is the emergence of superbugs that are resistant to antibiotics. It is currently responsible for around 700 thousand deaths a year, and the World Bank estimates it could wipe 11% off the world’s GDP by 2050. Animal farming is a key contributor to this crisis, given that an estimated 70% of all antimicrobial use happens within animal agriculture. Without tackling the widespread overuse and misuse of antibiotics in livestock, AMR could become the next global pandemic.
In the first of a two-part series on AMR, this podcast looks at the environmental impacts of this crisis and what investors are doing to address this risk.
FAIRR’s latest report, Feeding Resistance: Antimicrobial stewardship in the animal health industry explores the role of animal pharmaceuticals in driving AMR, and how investors can engage the sector to drive better stewardship.