Sepsis and Antimicrobial Stewardship – Two Sides of the Same Coin

Sepsis and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes co-exist in healthcare settings; however, there can be tension between the goals of reducing sepsis mortality, and preventing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). How these goals are perceived and prioritised by health professionals and the public is likely shaped by media framing and compounded by nonalignment of sepsis and AMS programmes in healthcare organisations. Media sepsis reports use personal stories with solutions within the power of individuals whereas AMR is framed as a vague future threat involving multiple actors, with solutions requiring global efforts and policy change. Principles from behavioural economics could help to achieve a ‘recognition of necessity’ to change prescribing approaches. Importantly sepsis and AMS cannot be discussed in isolation, but should be portrayed as two sides of the same coin: in the framing of messages in the media and public health campaigns, and the alignment of organisational sepsis and AMS programmes.