Best practices identified in the 2026 AMR Benchmark

The aim of a Best Practice  

The diffusion of Best Practices is one of the Access to Medicine Foundation’s mechanisms for supporting the pharmaceutical industry in achieving greater access to medicine. Best Practices are shared to accelerate adoption of similar practices by other companies, and to help raise the overall level of standard practice. Furthermore, recognising those companies trialling or scaling up innovative, unique policies or initiatives is an important way of acknowledging companies that stand out from peers and are willing to risk new approaches to advance efforts. 

 What defines a Best Practice in the Benchmark?  

 Best Practices are ones that can be accepted as being the most effective way of achieving a desired end, relative to what the industry is currently doing in that area and what stakeholder expectations are. It can also be described as a benchmark. Best Practices are not new practices – they have already been conceived of, applied and proven to meet at least some of the following criteria: 

• Sustainability 

• Replicability  

• Alignment with external standards/stakeholder expectations 

• Proven effectiveness  

In different Research Areas within the Benchmark (for example, in Research & Development vs. Appropriate Access & Stewardship), the way in which a Best Practice is identified may be different. Best Practice need not be unique among companies; it might be an example of a ‘gold standard’ of practice; a best-in-class policy; or a strategy, programme, product initiative or group of behaviours closely aligned with stakeholder expectations.  

Best Practices should be considered as an exemplar of positive practices in the corresponding Research Area in comparison to those of the other companies that submitted data within the current period of analysis. These Best Practices are identified based on evidence of progress submitted in the data collection period and verified with public information and through consultation with experts, where appropriate. 

How Best Practices were selected for the 2026 AMR Benchmark 

To determine which of the company’s practices would be highlighted as Best Practice, the AMR Research Team evaluated all aspects of company practices, compiling those that met the criteria used for the purpose of scoring with additional standards for each Research Area, where necessary. Company practices that met these outlined criteria were reviewed and finalised by the Foundation’s senior management with additional input from experts in the corresponding field, when required. 

Best Practices identified in the 2026 AMR Benchmark 

• GSK sustains leadership in antimicrobial R&D, with SMEs driving innovation 

• Companies take hands-on approach to suppliers’ wastewater management practices 

• Aurobindo leads with a portfolio-wide approach to registration in East Africa 

• GSK and Sandoz raise the standard for reporting transfers of value 

• Companies support diagnostic capacity to safeguard medicines against drug resistance