Global Regulators Back Antimicrobial Labelling to Curb AMR

“Proper regulation of antimicrobial medicines requires action across sectors,” said Dr Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General of FAO.

Global regulatory leaders have reaffirmed the critical role of antimicrobial labelling in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR), calling it a low-cost, high-impact tool to promote appropriate use and safe disposal across human, animal and environmental sectors.

The commitment was underscored at the Second Global Regulatory Authorities Summit on AMR, held from 14–15 January 2026, which brought together more than 200 participants from national and regional regulatory authorities, international organizations and technical partners.

Convened by the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on AMR—comprising WHO, FAO, UNEP and WOAH—the Summit emphasized that clear, practical and enforceable labelling requirements, implemented through a One Health approach, can deliver significant public health and environmental benefits.

Labelling as a Frontline AMR Tool

Participants agreed that well-designed antimicrobial labels—providing clear guidance on indications, dosage, side effects, storage and disposal—are essential to translating political commitments on AMR into real-world impact.

“Labelling is a powerful regulatory tool,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “It provides clear information that supports appropriate use across sectors and promotes responsible disposal, helping protect the effectiveness of antimicrobials.”

Summit discussions highlighted that effective labelling must be backed by strong implementation and enforcement, including surveillance, inspection and regional regulatory harmonization.

Strengthening One Health Regulation

Speakers stressed that AMR cannot be addressed by any single sector alone. Regulatory practices must cover the entire life cycle of antimicrobials, particularly within agri-food systems.

“Proper regulation of antimicrobial medicines requires action across sectors,” said Dr Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General of FAO. “The agri-food system is everyone’s business, and strengthening regulation benefits us all.”

Environmental impacts were also a major focus, with leaders highlighting the growing importance of labelling to reduce pharmaceutical pollution.

“Environmental labelling for medicines is gaining traction globally,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “It promotes lifecycle transparency, empowers informed decision-making and helps reduce environmental drivers of AMR.”

Making Labels Work in Practice

A central takeaway from the Summit was that labelling must be clear, concise and actionable for all users. Participants emphasized:

• Use of local languages, symbols and pictograms

• Inclusion of information on appropriate use and safe disposal

• Phased approaches aligned with national regulatory capacity

• Engagement with civil society and consumer groups to ensure real-world impact

Challenges such as limited pack sizes, multilingual requirements and gaps in disposal infrastructure were acknowledged, with solutions including digital tools such as e-labelling and QR codes, public awareness campaigns and greater regulatory harmonization.

“Every label we improve and every regulatory action we take helps preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials,” said Dr Emmanuelle Soubeyran, Director General of WOAH. “This is essential for a healthier, more resilient future for humans, animals, plants and the environment.”

Next Steps

The Summit concluded with a shared understanding of practical priorities and enabling conditions to strengthen antimicrobial labelling worldwide. These insights will inform ongoing global, regional and national efforts to support regulators as frontline actors in the fight against AMR.

The Quadripartite Joint Secretariat will publish a detailed Summit report outlining concrete actions to advance One Health regulatory collaboration on antimicrobial resistance.