Investors can play their part in the war on superbugs
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the critical issues of our time. Bacterial infections that are resistant to antibiotics caused 1.3mn deaths worldwide in 2019, more than malaria; by 2050 the toll is expected to reach 10mn a year. Attention has largely focused on overprescription of antibiotics by doctors, leading to excessive consumption by humans. Investors are now rightly taking aim at overuse in industrial farming and livestock production — which can fuel not only resistance but the emergence of drug-resistant superbugs in people.
European asset managers Legal & General Investment Management and Amundi are among those targeting the fast food giant McDonald's at its annual meeting on Thursday. They are pushing the company to stick to World Health Organization guidelines on antibiotics use across its supply chain.
This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:The editorial board
