ESCMID Global 2026: What we took away from a week on AMR and infectious diseases
Around 18,000 participants gathered in Munich from 16–21 April for ESCMID Global 2026 — a flagship conference on infectious diseases, bringing together clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and global health stakeholders from around the world.
This year, the Global AMR R&D Hub team was also there and had a productive week, contributing through a side event, two presentations, and two posters, alongside a wide range of discussions and exchanges with partners across the field.
A few key messages stood out.
AMR remains a critical global health challenge. Throughout the conference, there was a strong emphasis on the need for AMR strategies to be grounded in credible, high-quality data to guide decisions and track progress.
There was also growing agreement that progress on AMR depends on linking innovation, implementation, and access more closely — as part of one connected system rather than separate agendas.
One Health was strongly present throughout the conference, with human, animal, and environmental health communities engaging together on shared challenges such as surveillance, stewardship, and access.
Side event: diagnostics, AI, access, and real-world impact
Together with the International Society for Infectious Diseases, ICARS, and the European Partnership on One Health AMR, the Hub co-hosted a side event on diagnostics. Discussions focused on the importance of bringing testing closer to patients and addressing persistent access gaps, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. AI-based tools were discussed as a potential support, alongside questions of affordability and sustainability.
From research to impact
In a panel session on translating AMR research into impact, Lesley Ogilvie spoke about better linking global research priorities with national implementation, including efforts to track and align research activities across systems.
Funding insights from the field
Usha Lamichhane presented findings from the Hub’s Dynamic Dashboard, offering an overview of global public and philanthropic investment in antibacterial therapeutics from 2017–2023.
Social sciences and funding perspectives
Suzanne Edwards and Frank Tu attended the 5th INAMRSS Research Conference, which brought together researchers working at the intersection of social sciences and infectious diseases, with particular attention to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). They presented a poster showcasing preliminary findings on funding for AMR R&D projects with social science components.
ESCMID Global 2026 reinforced both the urgency and the opportunity ahead: AMR remains a pressing global challenge, but there is growing alignment on how to move forward. The next step is to strengthen how data, evidence, and collaboration translate into coordinated action — across disciplines, sectors, and countries — to turn shared priorities into measurable progress
