Fleming’s legacy

The year 2028 will mark 100 years since Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin — a breakthrough that revolutionized medicine and made once-deadly infections curable, enabling safe surgery, cancer treatment, and transplants. Yet Fleming’s 1945 warning about misuse leading to resistance has become reality: widespread, unregulated antibiotic use has driven antimicrobial resistance (AMR) into a global crisis, particularly affecting low- and middle-income countries. The UK’s 2015 Fleming Fund, inspired by this legacy, has played a vital role in strengthening AMR surveillance and training in 25 countries across Africa and Asia. However, the UK Government’s recent decision to end the fund comes at a dangerous time, as unchecked AMR could cause 10 million deaths annually and cost the global economy trillions by 2050. As the centenary of penicillin approaches, renewed global commitment to antibiotic stewardship, research, and education is essential to preserve Fleming’s life-saving legacy and protect the foundations of modern medicine.