WHO releases Global Guidance to Tackle Antibiotic Pollution

GLOBAL GUIDANCE TO TACKLE ANTIBIOTIC POLLUTION

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Context

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched its first-ever global guidance titled “Guidance on Wastewater and Solid Waste Management for Manufacturing of Antibiotics”.

Read about AMR:

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/antibiotics-resistance

Details

What is the Need for Guidelines?

Although residual levels of antibiotics have been detected in waterbodies downstream from manufacturing sites, antibiotic pollution from manufacturing remains largely unregulated.
Consumers also lack information on how to dispose of unused antibiotics properly.

About the Document

This document aims to reduce antibiotic pollution from drug manufacturing and combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
It offers a scientific framework for regulators, industry players and other stakeholders to implement effective controls against antibiotic pollution.
It covers all steps from making active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to packaging.

Key Elements of the Document

Defining Targets: It sets targets based on risk assessments to control antimicrobial resistance and its environmental impact.
Risk Management: It uses tools like hazard analysis to meet these targets.
Independent Audits: It ensures targets are met through external checks.

Guiding Principles

Precautionary Approach for target setting.
Progressive Improvement towards meeting these targets.
Detailed Standards: It introduces a two-level approach:

1. ‘good’ and
2. ‘stringent’

and specifies limits on the use of mass balance calculations.

The document emphasised public transparency and underscored the importance of safeguarding the supply and affordability of antibiotics, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Read about microbial waste:

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/antimicrobial-resistance-and-antimicrobial-waste#:~:text=AMR%20happens%20when%20microorganisms%20(such,%2C%20antimalarials%2C%20and%20anthelmintics)

Read about antibiotics:

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/narrow-spectrum-antibiotics

Read about GRAM Report:

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/global-research-on-antimicrobial-resistance-gram-report

Sources:

Downtoearth

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q: Currently, antibiotic pollution from manufacturing is largely unregulated and quality assurance criteria typically do not address environmental emissions. In the context of this statement, discuss the significance of WHO’s global guidance to tackle antibiotic pollution. (250 Words)