The Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA) is deeply saddened to learn of His Holiness Pope Francis’ current battle with pneumonia and complex infection. Our thoughts are with him and the Vatican’s leadership as they navigate this difficult time. His resilience, faith, and commitment to the well-being of others serve as a beacon of hope for billions worldwide, and we join the global community in wishing him strength and a speedy return to full health.

Yet Pope Francis’ recovery relies not on only our prayers and well wishes, but also on the effectiveness of available medicines to treat infection, including antibiotics, one of the greatest medical innovations of modern time. His Holiness’ illness has painfully highlighted the growing global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – the natural process by which the microbes that cause infection grow resistant to treatment over time. AMR threatens the ability of modern medicine to cure disease. AMR affects all people, but it poses a particular danger for older adults, like Pope Francis, who often have weaker immune systems. The threat of AMR respects no borders and threatens to undermine the very foundation of healthcare systems from Rome to Accra.

The Vatican has long been at the forefront of addressing global health challenges, and its leadership in the fight against rising antimicrobial resistance was on full display at a symposium held by GCOA at the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences in November 2024. At “Solving for Antimicrobial Resistance: A Rising Global Health and Humanitarian Challenge,” global experts, policymakers, and Vatican leaders discussed solutions to this escalating crisis, and in particular, the urgent need for governments to introduce pull incentives, targeted investments in innovation. A statement developed out of this meeting can be read here. Experts agree that pull incentives are needed to spur the development of new drugs that can successfully treat the kinds of infections that Pope Francis now battles, and that the top global economies have a particularly important role to play. Now, more than ever, leadership like the Vatican has shown on AMR is essential in bringing greater awareness of this growing global threat and the need to act now to ensure that our children and grandchildren will have access to antibiotics that work.

As the global community keeps Pope Francis in its prayers, may his courage and moral clarity inspire decisive and aggressive action on AMR. By supporting research and innovation in new antibiotics, ensuring responsible use of the ones we have, and safeguarding access for all, we can help protect the health of current and future generations, wherever they may live.