Literature on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has grown enormously in the last 10 years. While this growth is welcomed overall, the sudden rise in AMR literature makes it difficult for time-pressured policymakers to gather and grasp all the necessary information, concepts, and controversies relevant for treaty negotiation. In this paper, we present two tools from social science to simplify the policymaking challenge: first, a problem synthesis framework, which itemizes the full range of governance challenges around global antimicrobial resistance (section 1); and second, a theoretical framework drawing on collective action theory, which can help signal toward potential solutions (section 2). Policy makers can leverage these tools when considering how to include AMR in the pandemic treaty.