London, UK, 22 July 2026 – SCI® has awarded the Lister Medal to Jim O’Neill, in recognition of his work in raising awareness and encouraging action around antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Jim O’Neill (Lord O’Neill of Gatley), a notable economist who famously coined the phrase ”BRIC”, has been one of the most prominent figures in the battle against AMR. He has brought global attention to the issue through his framing of it as both a health crisis and an economic threat.
In 2014, former Prime Minister David Cameron commissioned an independent Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, with O’Neill appointed as its chair. The Review, which ran until 2016, focussed on the economic impacts and it elevated AMR onto the agendas of governments and industry leaders worldwide, warning that, without effective action, AMR could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050, and result in total economic losses of up to $100 trillion globally. His work resulted in high level political mobilisation at the UN and G20, industry action through the Industry Declaration on AMR and catalysed funding to support continued research. He has continued to champion for action, including chairing the NeoTest Coalition Centre for Global Development, designing economic models to incentivise action.
His work has consistently bridged different disciplines; economics, business strategy, and policymaking and the Award recognises the important intersection of science and economics.
The Lister Medal is named after Sir Joseph Lister, the famous British surgeon who first introduced antisepsis into hospital routine and pioneered the field of bacteriology in the 19th century. It has only been awarded 14 times since launched in 1944. Previous recipients of the Lister Medal have been prominent scientists including Sir Patrick Vallance, Professor Dame Sally Davies and, in 1944, Sir Alexander Fleming.
SCI President, Paul Drechsler said “Jim O’Neill has brought the subject of antimicrobial resistance from a scientific and medical conversation through to a global policy priority. His landmark Review has helped align the responses of governments, industry, and international organisations to this existential threat. This Award recognises his outstanding contribution to addressing the global challenge of AMR, his ability to translate the science into economic reality and government action, and to driving innovation and collaboration to address this healthcare challenge.”
Jim 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.
About SCI®
SCI® is an independent innovation accelerator, helping to accelerate the pace of adoption of science by industry 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 recently launched Sustainability journal; 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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