London, 11 November 2026: Jim O’Neill, Lord O’Neill of Gatley, has received the SCI’s Lister Medal in recognition of his work in raising awareness and encouraging action on the issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Lord O’Neill, a leading economist, led the influential UK government review on antimicrobial resistance between 2014 and 2016.
The review focused on the potentially serious impacts of AMR if left unchecked, warning there could be 10 million deaths globally from AMR-related illnesses by 2050 without action and as much as $100 trillion globally in total economic losses. His work resulted in high level, international political mobilisation at the UN and G20, industry action through the Industry Declaration on AMR and catalysed funding to support continued research.
The award was presented by Chris McDonald MP, Minister for Science, Innovation and Investment, who spoke about the importance of cross-disciplinary working to advance industry and economic growth.
Speaking at the medal presentation held in the House of Lords, SCI President Paul Drechsler said Lord O’Neill’s work demonstrated the critical interface between economics and science and the benefits that this can bring.
He added: “Lord O’Neill’s review proposed incentives, including rewards for successfully bringing much-needed antibiotics to market, with conditions around access and responsible use. It also championed diagnostics and measures to reduce unnecessary demand. This is economics helping to create the conditions in which science can succeed. For me, that goes to the heart of SCI’s mission.
“A discovery cannot benefit society if it never reaches the people who need it. We have to connect scientific possibility with investment, production, access and use. Jim has helped the world understand that connection. And he has kept pressing the case. There is a particular kind of leadership involved in taking responsibility for a challenge that crosses disciplines, industries and national borders.”
Lord O’Neill said: “I am deeply honoured to receive the Lister Medal from SCI. It is a real privilege to be recognised by an organisation with such a distinguished history of promoting innovation and the application of science for public benefit. At a time when science and innovation have such a vital role to play in the economy, this recognition is particularly meaningful.”
The Lister Medal is named after Sir Joseph Lister, the British surgeon who first introduced antisepsis into hospital routine and pioneered the field of bacteriology in the 19th century. Lord O’Neill is only the 18th recipient of the award since it was inaugurated by the SCI in 1944. The first recipient was Sir Alexander Fleming. Other recipients include Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Dame Sally Davies.
ENDS
Contact: Tony Henderson Tel: +44 (0) 7538 905762
E: Press@soci.org
About SCI SCI is an independent, charitable learned society that helps bring science from the lab into industry quicker for the benefit of society. SCI is a global network of innovators using science to tackle some of the big societal challenges of the day, across climate & planet and health & wellness. SCI brings together companies with $500bn in global sales and $30bn in scientific R&D; publishes nine peer reviewed journals, including the journal JSFA Reports; and convenes a broad range of technical and regional interest groups. Through its mentoring and training programmes, SCI empowers future leaders in science and business.
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