Talent Loss and AMR Crisis: Featured in Hindustan Times

We’re proud to announce that Mr. Saransh Chaudhary, President of Global Critical Care at Venus Remedies and CEO of Venus Medicine Research Centre, has been featured in Hindustan Times.

He has thrown light on an important issue in the medical world that potentially affects millions of people in the coming years - the sharp decline in scientific talent working in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) research and its long-term implications.

Due to this, two million deaths are projected to occur in India alone by 2025, and 10 million globally.

Although there are many reasons behind this, talent loss remains one of the key factors.

But what is AMR?

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) can be defined as resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial medicine to which it was previously sensitive. AMR reflects the survival of the fittest concept in Darwin's theory, where microbes adopt various mechanisms to shield themselves from antimicrobial drugs and survive. Now let’s take a brief look at what this article talks about:

Why AMR Needs More Attention?

Since penicillin was developed, antibiotics have become a lifesaver for millions worldwide. However, their development process is not keeping up with the evolving complexity of the diseases. 

The AMR alliance was formed to highlight some alarming trends based on data from leading global sources, showing how the R&D workforce focused on AMR, which has been shrinking for decades. The 2016 UNGA High-Level Meeting on AMR discussed key issues like talent loss and how to address these challenges globally. Here are some of the key points of this research:

• Today, only 3,000 researchers globally are focused on AMR, compared to 46,000 in oncology.
  
• The number of authors contributing to AMR-related publications has halved in 25 years
  
• India contributes just 1% to the global antibacterial R&D pipeline, despite bearing one of the highest AMR burdens in the world.

This brain drain not highlights the funding gaps but also reflects a broken innovation pipeline, inadequate incentives, and fragile career pathways in infectious disease research, especially in low and middle-income countries like India.

The Economic Barriers to AMR Solutions

The decline in dedicated professionals in this field also calls for decisive action from governments, private investors, and pharmaceutical companies alike. Some of the challenges that need the attention of the industry experts are:

• Market failure is preventing sustained investment in new antibiotics, even from pharma giants like AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Johnson & Johnson. They all have exited or scaled back AMR work in recent years.
• Small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs), despite being agile and innovative, face severe funding challenges, with 54% unable to sustain operations even for a year.
• Fellowships in infectious diseases remain underfunded and underfilled, even in developed countries, due to pay disparities and a lack of long-term career incentives.

Government Initiatives & the Road Ahead

Despite efforts by Indian institutions, such as DBT, BIRAC, ICMR, and international collaborations, a well-structured strategic approach has become the need of the hour to increase the scientific workforce dedicated to AMR.

But India’s status as the world’s most populous country demands greater investment in human capital, especially in microbiology, pharmacology, and biotechnology.

He calls on the pharma industry to:

• Support hands-on training and mentorship programs.
• Fund long-term translational research.
• Strengthen public-private innovation pipelines.

India has made encouraging strides in AMR research and surveillance through national programs and global partnerships. However, gaps in funding, industry support, and research infrastructure continue to limit the growth of a skilled AMR workforce. A unified, long-term approach is essential to sustain this progress.

Key Government Initiatives:

• AMRSN by ICMR tracks AMR trends across 30 tertiary hospitals.
• DBT, BIRAC, and ICMR fund R&D in diagnostics and new antimicrobials.
• International collaborations include the WHO, CDC (USA), and the Fleming Fund.
  

Ongoing Challenges:

• Academia–industry disconnect causing talent attrition.
• Limited funding and career pathways in infectious disease research.
• Insufficient industry support for training.
• Need for stronger incentives like BIRAC’s BIG and SBIRI to retain talent.

Driving the AMR Conversation Forward

At Venus Remedies, we’ve always believed in advancing critical care research while strengthening the scientific ecosystem that supports it, including cutting-edge infrastructure, innovative strategies, and translational research capabilities.

Through expert guidance and continuous research, we are enhancing our ability to address antimicrobial resistance and drive long-term impact.