Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance: The Importance of Responsible Antibiotic Use
You wake up feeling feverish, with pain every time you swallow. A doctor prescribes antibiotics, and within a few days you start to feel like yourself again—so you decide to stop taking them.
It sounds harmless, but it isn’t.
When we cut a treatment short, the remaining bacteria have a chance to survive, adapt, and eventually become resistant to the drugs meant to eliminate them. This is driving a major global health crisis known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
AMR can turn routine illnesses into dangerous, potentially fatal infections. It already contributes to millions of deaths worldwide each year. The encouraging news is that simple everyday actions can help slow its spread:
It sounds harmless, but it isn’t.
When we cut a treatment short, the remaining bacteria have a chance to survive, adapt, and eventually become resistant to the drugs meant to eliminate them. This is driving a major global health crisis known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
AMR can turn routine illnesses into dangerous, potentially fatal infections. It already contributes to millions of deaths worldwide each year. The encouraging news is that simple everyday actions can help slow its spread:
- Complete your entire course of antibiotics—even if your symptoms improve.
- Don’t share your medication with anyone else.
- Dispose of unused medicine safely. Never flush or toss it directly in the bin.
- Follow your healthcare provider’s guidance, and avoid requesting antibiotics unless they’re medically necessary.
From Production to Pharmacy Shelves
We are committed to combating AMR by ensuring our medicines are manufactured responsibly, by setting strong expectations for our suppliers, and by helping inform patients and health professionals around the world.
Over the past two years, Teva has received two British Standards Institution (BSI) certifications recognizing responsible antibiotic production. We closely track our facilities to prevent antibiotic residue from contaminating the environment, and we support our partners in doing the same. Antibiotics in wastewater and similar sources allow bacteria to evolve—and grow stronger against treatment.
Connecting With Patients Where They Are
To encourage proper prescribing and usage, we’ve joined forces with Clarivate to roll out localized pilot initiatives tailored to specific healthcare systems and communities.
In Germany, pharmacy screens displayed quick, helpful reminders for people collecting antibiotics, while pharmacists received more than 389,000 digital messages reinforcing safe usage practices. The results were promising—77% of pharmacists reported that these tools helped them have better conversations with patients about antibiotic safety.
In Kenya, our program integrates guidance into physician Electronic Health Records, offering real-time prompts that support responsible prescribing. Patients who take antibiotics also receive SMS reminders—in their local language—encouraging them to finish their treatment. Findings show that many still believe antibiotics can treat colds and that limited diagnostic resources can make proper prescribing difficult, both of which increase AMR risk.
There is still progress to be made, and every one of us has a responsibility. By protecting the effectiveness of antibiotics today, we ensure they remain powerful allies in safeguarding our health tomorrow.
We are committed to combating AMR by ensuring our medicines are manufactured responsibly, by setting strong expectations for our suppliers, and by helping inform patients and health professionals around the world.
Over the past two years, Teva has received two British Standards Institution (BSI) certifications recognizing responsible antibiotic production. We closely track our facilities to prevent antibiotic residue from contaminating the environment, and we support our partners in doing the same. Antibiotics in wastewater and similar sources allow bacteria to evolve—and grow stronger against treatment.
Connecting With Patients Where They Are
To encourage proper prescribing and usage, we’ve joined forces with Clarivate to roll out localized pilot initiatives tailored to specific healthcare systems and communities.
In Germany, pharmacy screens displayed quick, helpful reminders for people collecting antibiotics, while pharmacists received more than 389,000 digital messages reinforcing safe usage practices. The results were promising—77% of pharmacists reported that these tools helped them have better conversations with patients about antibiotic safety.
In Kenya, our program integrates guidance into physician Electronic Health Records, offering real-time prompts that support responsible prescribing. Patients who take antibiotics also receive SMS reminders—in their local language—encouraging them to finish their treatment. Findings show that many still believe antibiotics can treat colds and that limited diagnostic resources can make proper prescribing difficult, both of which increase AMR risk.
There is still progress to be made, and every one of us has a responsibility. By protecting the effectiveness of antibiotics today, we ensure they remain powerful allies in safeguarding our health tomorrow.
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