The AMR Narrative

24/07/2025

On 10 July 2025, our Executive Director and AMR Patient Survivor and Advocate, Vanessa Carter, was delighted to take part in a panel discussion at the Shionogi London office to address the urgent global health threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Among the panellists was an unexpected advocate, actor Bill Pullman, best known for his numerous roles, including in the film Independence Day.

Joining Vanessa and Bill on the panel were Dr Alicia Demirjian, Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Clinical Lead for Antimicrobial Resistance & Prescribing at the UK Health Security Agency, and Huw Tippett, current CEO of Shionogi Europe. The discussion was moderated by Jo Taylor and Sarah Hornby from Shionogi Europe Corporate Affairs.

Inspired by his brother, an infectious disease specialist, Bill has become an active voice for AMR awareness, using his platform to help communicate this critical issue more widely. He is currently producing a documentary featuring leading global experts to highlight the scale and urgency of the problem.

During a wide-ranging discussion, the panel reflected on the need to rethink how we engage patients and the public as well as policy audiences on AMR. A ‘moonshot’ approach was proposed, one where people from all sectors are united by a shared mission to inspire action and change minds.

Read more about the discussion here: https://amrnarrative.org/in-conversation-with-bill-pullman-breaking-the-silence-on-amr

15/07/2025

Join our Executive Director, Vanessa Carter next week, 24th July for an important dialogue.

Register now to join the WHO Taskforce of AMR Survivors for a powerful virtual conversation that’s long overdue.

📅 24 July 2025
🕝 14:30–16:00 CEST
🌐 Virtual | Zoom
🔗 Register here: tinyurl.com/webinartfs
📲 Or scan the QR code on the flyer!

This timely dialogue comes ahead of the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health 2025 and puts a spotlight on the under-recognized links between Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs), from a patient-centric perspective.

14/07/2025

We're so excited to launch our latest music video in collaboration with the Hope Music Foundation based in Kampala, Uganda titled "AMR heroes".

“AMR heroes” is a song written and performed by the Hope Music Foundation in Uganda in collaboration with and for The AMR Narrative, which is a registered UK charity.

Production coordination was further supported through collaboration with the One Life music and podcast channel. The song was written to highlight the importance of working together at all levels, including within our communities, to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally. It also honours those who tirelessly advocate to raise awareness.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) happens when medicines like antibiotics stop working, making infections harder, or even impossible to treat.

It’s a global health crisis claiming millions of lives each year, with the heaviest burden falling on low- and middle-income countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa where access to healthcare is limited and vulnerability is high.

AMR threatens everyone, no matter where they live. Together, we can all be AMR heroes. Let’s raise our voices for change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi5ZNSTSqCE

To learn more about the song visit: https://amrnarrative.org/amr-heroes-a-music-collaboration-uk-uganda

Please help us to spread the word by liking and sharing the video with others.

"AMR heroes" is a song written and performed by the Hope Music Foundation in Uganda in collaboration with and for The AMR Narrative, which is a registered UK...

16/06/2025

Without accurate and timely diagnosis, antibiotic resistance wins!

In May, our founder and executive director, Vanessa Carter, presented her patient story at the Moving Forward in Infection Diagnostics series, co-hosted by NHS England and the NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

Hosted by Dr Kerrie Davies MBE (NHS England) and Dr Jane Freeman (NIHR Leeds BRC), further speakers included Dr Ian Butler (Barts Health NHS Trust), Dr Iain Miller, PhD, MBA (Presymptom Health), Prof. Alastair Hay (University of Bristol), Angela Douglas MBE (BIVDA) and Nishan Sunthares (ABHI).

Read more here: https://amrnarrative.org/moving-forward-in-infection-diagnostics

On the 6th of May 2025, clinicians, researchers, and industry leaders came together to explore one of the most important (and often overlooked) parts of diagnostic innovation: how to successfully adopt and implement new infection tests in real-world NHS settings. This event marked the fourth meeting...

20/05/2025

Have you ever kept hold of a few antibiotics, just in case you or a family member becomes unwell again?

This is a big no-no!

Firstly, taking antibiotics without proper medical guidance increases the risk of antibiotic resistance, which can affect both you and others. Secondly, any unused antibiotics should be disposed of safely to protect the environment and the communities around you.

Read our latest blog by Dr Francesco M. Labricciosa which explains why here:

https://amrnarrative.org/2025/05/13/why-should-you-avoid-using-or-sharing-leftover-antibiotics

Do you happen to have leftover antibiotics somewhere in your house? Have you ever stopped an antibiotic course early, stored leftover antibiotics prescribed for you, and planned to use or share them with someone else in the future?If your answer is yes, then I must tell you straight away that this i...

30/04/2025

We’re excited to be launching our "Raising Voices for AMR" newsletter in the coming weeks, which will feature updates on our current activities, educational resources and other news related to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Whether you’re a patient, survivor, carer, someone with lived experience, a member of the public concerned about AMR, researcher, medical professional, policymaker, or part of a civil society organisation—including fellow patient groups—we warmly welcome you to join our community.

To subscribe, register your interest at https://amrnarrative.org/news or scan the QR code below.

23/04/2025

After a routine surgery in 2007, Hayley Bailey from Johannesburg, South Africa endured years of medical trauma—including sepsis, C. diff, organ failure, and over a dozen surgeries. Now living with terminal intestinal failure, she bravely shares her story, driven by the constant fear that antibiotics may one day fail to treat her life-threatening infections.

Read Hayley's story here: https://amrnarrative.org/hayley-story-cdiff-amr/

My name is Hayley Bailey. I’m 46, and I live in Johannesburg, South Africa. I’m actually a relatively private person and didn’t have any intention of publicly sharing my story, however, I recently realised that speaking up could empower others facing similar challenges.My journey of “medical...

10/04/2025

There are several misconceptions about antibiotic resistance, one of which is the belief that the human body becomes resistant, when in fact it is the bacteria.

Bacteria have a clever way of defending themselves against antibiotics, and this has been the case since they first came into existence.

Read our latest blog by Dr Francesco M. Labricciosa, which explains this misconception in more detail:

https://amrnarrative.org/2025/04/08/bacterial-resistance-self-defence

04/04/2025

Our Founder and Executive Director, Vanessa Carter, had the privilege of attending an exclusive pre-screening of "AMR – Dying to Change the World" on March 11, 2025. Hosted by the Fleming Initiative at the Curzon Theatre in Bloomsbury, London, the event showcased the compelling feature-length documentary on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by filmmaker Alex Tweddle.

In a panel discussion led by Dame Sally Davies, she underscored the importance of raising awareness for AMR through media and the arts, as well as engaging patients and communities on the ground to gain a deeper insight into their experiences.
Read more here: https://amrnarrative.org/fleming-initiative-movie-premier

27/03/2025

This time last month, our Charity was included in a roundtable discussion at the 9th AMR Conference in Basel, Switzerland. Represented by our Chair, Dr Francesca Chiara, The session opened with a fundamental question: Is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) communication simply about wording, or does it extend to how, who, and where we communicate?

Read more about the panel discussion here:
https://amrnarrative.org/amr-conference-basel-2025

03/03/2025

Did you know that the inappropriate use of antibiotics can increase the risk of Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection? Have you ever heard about C. diff before?

The relationship between Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) and antibiotic resistance is complex and significant in healthcare settings.

In this blog, Dr Francesco M. Labricciosa delves deeper into the topic. Read the blog here: https://amrnarrative.org/2025/02/28/inappropriate-use-of-antibiotics-and-c-diff-infection-what-is-the-connection

27/01/2025

"Participatory Approaches," as now recognised in the recent 2024 UN Political Declaration, must not become merely a buzzword in the fight against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). Instead, it underscores the necessity of involving and engaging everyone—patients, carers, and the public alike. This is particularly crucial given the multifaceted nature of this global health threat. While raising awareness is important, it often remains one-sided.

To design truly meaningful interventions, we must prioritise listening to those most impacted.

Our Founder and patient survivor, Vanessa Carter recently contributed as a co-author to this paper alongside Michael Corley (British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy) Emily Scott-Dearing and Lord Ara Darzi (Fleming Initiative), and Philip Mathew (World Health Organization (WHO).

Read the article here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-55410-8