GSK’s manufacturing facility in Nashik, Maharashtra, has become one of the first in India to achieve certification to the international standard for antibiotic manufacturing, underscoring the company’s commitment to tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through responsible production and waste management.
The World Health Organization recognises AMR as one of the top ten threats to global public health. Antimicrobials are a cornerstone of modern medicine. They prevent and treat common infections and enable more complex medical procedures, such as surgery, childbirth, and cancer treatment, by reducing the risks associated with inadequately treated infections. Rising resistance to antimicrobials threatens to undermine modern medicine as it is known today.
The certification, awarded by BSI, the business improvement and standards company, recognises that GSK’s Nashik facility, which manufactures, packages, and distributes antibiotics, meets the requirements of the BSI Kitemark for Minimised Risk of AMR. Compliance will be verified annually through rigorous surveillance audits.
This certification is also part of GSK’s broader strategy to have all internal antibiotic manufacturing sites certified by the end of 2026, reinforcing the company’s global AMR position.
Bhushan Akshikar, Managing Director, GSK India, said, “GSK is committed to addressing the urgent public health threat of antimicrobial resistance by developing new vaccines and medicines, improving access to antibiotics, and ensuring they are manufactured responsibly. This certification reflects our actions to support India’s efforts to contain AMR and protect public health.”
Courtney Soulsby, BSI Global Director, Healthcare Sustainability, said, “GSK has taken a critical step forward to address the growing threat from AMR and reduce antibiotic discharge from the manufacturing process into the environment. GSK is leading the way globally, and now in India, in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, including efforts towards responsible antibiotic manufacturing, and we hope that other organisations follow, so that we can collaborate and accelerate progress towards a more sustainable world.”