Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a concept where microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, evolve to resist the effects of antimicrobial medicines, rendering infections difficult or impossible to treat. Microbes resistant to multiple drugs are often termed superbugs.
AMR is a natural phenomenon that predates the clinical use of antibiotics, with resistance genes found in ancient specimens. However, the problem has reached crisis levels because the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in human health and agriculture accelerate the selection and spread of resistant strains. This has led to a major global health threat, estimated to be associated with over 4.7 million deaths globally in 2021.
The mechanism involves the microbes developing genetic changes or mutations that allow them to survive the drug. This can happen by preventing the drug from entering the cell, actively pushing it out, or chemically destroying the medication. This process is essentially natural selection, where resistant organisms persist and reproduce.
AMR is a core component of the One Health approach, which addresses the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Globally, it is guided by the World Health Organization's Global Action Plan on AMR (GAP-AMR), adopted in 2015. In India, the first National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR) was released in April 2017 by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
The original plan has been replaced and expanded by NAP-AMR 2.0 for the period 2025–2029, launched on November 18, 2025, which includes specific action plans for over 20 ministries. Regulatory measures are also being strengthened, such as the existing Schedule H1 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, which restricts certain antibiotics to prescription-only sales. Furthermore, a draft notification in January 2026 proposed that all antimicrobial drugs bear a conspicuous blue vertical strip on their labels to signal their status.