Information for consumers on antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobials are important medicines used to treat infections. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious threat to human health and patient safety. Hundreds of people in Australia die each year as a result of AMR. 

AMR is when an antimicrobial is no longer able to effectively treat an infection. This is that a microorganism has developed resistance to an antimicrobial, so it won’t work to kill the infection. 

Antimicrobial resistance is sometimes called antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics are one type of antimicrobial that are used to treat bacterial infections. AMR affects all antimicrobials, not just antibiotics.

The more antimicrobials are used, the more likely it is AMR will develop. Consumers and clinicians can work together to prevent AMR. 

Learn more about what you can do here.

Source: Information for consumers on antimicrobial resistance | Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
Listed: December 2024