Advances in pharmacovigilance initiatives surrounding antimicrobial resistance-Indian perspective

Introduction: In recent years the development of antimicrobial resistance has been accelerating, the discovery of new antimicrobial agents has slowed substantially in past decades. Area covered: This review mainly focuses on the problem of antimicrobial resistance(AMR); the various contributor mechanisms, consequences and future of AMR. The review also highlights the irrational use of antimicrobials, improving their usage and problems associated with pharmacovigilance of antimicrobial resistance. Expert opinion: Pharmacovigilance in the form of surveillance of antibiotic use is being done in 90% of the countries worldwide through the WHONET program developed by WHO. However, the data comes from a limited area of the globe. Data from every part of the world is required, so that there is geographical representation of every region. A major hurdle in quantifying the extent of antimicrobial resistance is the fact that there are several known microbes, that may turn out to be resistant to one or more of the several known antimicrobial agents. The global action plan initiated by WHO, if implemented successfully will definitely reduce AMR and will help in evaluating treatment interventions.