The methodology for the 2026 AMR Benchmark

The methodology for the 2026 AMR Benchmark is now available to download. As with each iteration of the Benchmark, the Access to Medicine Foundation updates its framework to define the critical areas where pharmaceutical companies must focus their efforts to mitigate the growing threat of drug resistance. Findings from the analysis will be published in the upcoming 2026 AMR Benchmark. 

The Foundation took a targeted approach in reviewing the framework to ensure it is a well-supported, fair and meaningful standard of measurement that reflects the progression of AMR and the current pharmaceutical landscape in its metrics. Key changes are set out below, with full explanations of changes to scopes and indicators detailed in the methodology report.  

Changes in the 2026 AMR Benchmark Methodology: 

• Inclusion of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): Nine SMEs will be included in scope of the report, acknowledging their growing role in the innovation and production of antimicrobial products. These nine SMEs are: Basilea, BioVersys, Evopoint Biosciences, F2G, Innoviva, Iterum Therapeutics, Pulmocide, TenNor Therapeutics and Venatorx. 

• 12 new countries: Algeria, Armenia, Ecuador, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Lebanon, Marshall Islands, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Tonga and Venezuela are newly in scope for the framework’s access metrics, and Georgia has been removed. 

• 24 bacteria and 19 fungi: The 2026 Benchmark will no longer focus on priority pathogens identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within its disease scope, as the CDC’s work focuses on pathogens prevalent in the US. Instead, it will only consider the World Health Organization’s Priority Pathogen lists. 

These updates ensure that the upcoming analysis will be a cogent, rigorous assessment of pharmaceutical companies that are active in the fight against AMR. The Foundation has now started the process of data collection for the 2026 AMR Benchmark, which is slated for publication in early 2026.