Keep Antibiotics Working Posted or Updated on 27 Jun 2025

Imagine a world where common infections became life-threatening, because our medicines no longer worked. It might sound like the plot for a dystopian film, but this scenario is real and it's happening now. Antimicrobial resistance, known as AMR, is stopping antibiotics from being as effective as they used to be. There were an estimated 66,730 serious antibiotic-resistant infections in 2023, a rise compared to 62,314 that we saw in 2019, before the pandemic.

More information from the UK Health Security Agency here

The NHS has detailed information as to why antibiotics aren’t always the answer. Read more here. 

How you can help

Here are 3 simple but powerful actions: 

1. Don't take antibiotics for colds and flu - they won't help because these illnesses are caused by viruses, not bacteria. If in doubt, go to your local pharmacy for advice.
2. Never save antibiotics for later use - they won’t work properly and could make the problem worse.
3. When prescribed antibiotics, take them exactly as directed by your GP, nurse or pharmacist, to make sure they are effective.