 There's a lot of power in the way we use language. Power that can profoundly affect the way people think, feel and act. Take this example. Would you be more willing to agree to an operation if the doctor said you have a 90% chance of survival or a 10% chance of death? It's the same probability, yet not many choose the latter. So the question becomes, when we talk about drug-resistant infections, how can we ensure the language we use is effective and drives action? We tested different ways of communicating about drug-resistant infections in seven countries and five themes emerged. One, frame drug-resistant infections as undermining modern medicine. People understand the gravity of the issue when they see the impact on treatments we all rely on. For example, say that cutting-edge cancer treatments are failing as drug-resistant infections rise. Two, explain the fundamentals succinctly. When the science is easy to understand, people are much more likely to get behind the issue. For example, explain that infections become drug-resistant when the bacteria that cause them adapt and change over time, developing the ability to resist the drugs designed to kill them. Three, emphasize that this is a universal issue. It affects everyone, including you. People are much more likely to act when they feel the issue is personal and affects their friends, family or themselves. For example, say that drug-resistant infections are putting us all at risk. Four, focus on the here and now. The issue moves from tomorrow's problem to today's when our focus becomes now. For example, say that people were already dying from drug-resistant infections and as more drugs stopped working, more lives would be put in danger. Five, encourage immediate action. People are much more likely to engage and spread the word when they feel the issue is urgent, but there is some hope. For example, say that we can get ahead of the problem by developing new antibiotics. For tips on how to effectively communicate drug-resistant infections, visit welcome.ac.uk forward slash reframing-resistance.