Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
According to the ECDC, Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a major public health concern in the WHO European Region, with estimates from the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) alone showing that each year more than 670,000 infections are due to bacteria resistant to antibiotics and approximately 33,000 people die as a direct consequence.
The goals of the PFID include:
Advocating for policy changes that would help activate and support research and development of new antimicrobial treatments to treat drug-resistant infections.
Motivating broad change in the way antimicrobial medicines are prescribed, accessed, consumed, monitored, and paid for.
Reinforcing awareness among all public and private stakeholders about the need for a pipeline of new antimicrobial medicines, the need for access to our existing medicines by providers and patients, the challenges of antimicrobial resistance to the practice of modern medicine, and AMR’s threat to the health of every person.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the next public health emergency.
The antibiotics we have relied on for decades are beginning to fail us. Common infections are increasingly difficult to treat and the numbers of new drugs under development are declining due to a combination of negative market signals and manufacturer bankruptcies.
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However, unlike the surprise emergence of COVID-19, we can observe rising trends in antibiotic resistant infections now. In 2009, the EU and the United States (US) established the Transatlantic Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TATFAR) as a result of the 2009 US-EU summit to intensify common actions in the fight against AMR. Back in 2021, Canada, Norway, and the United Kingdom have joined the TATFAR. As part of their 2021-2026, the following goals have been set:
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Continue and increase exchange of information and collaboration around key topics such as appropriate antibiotic use, emerging and concerning resistance trends, and development of antibacterial agents.
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Collaborate on new areas including wastewater surveillance of AMR, modeling strategies, communications, and policy.
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Prioritize a One Health focus.
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Identify ways to improve communication on AMR and help amplify TATFAR partner messaging through the Taskforce.
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Consider impact of COVID-19 on AMR.
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Among the key lessons we’ve learned during COVID-19 is that preparation can save lives. It’s just as important for the next pandemic as it is for the current one.
Modern medicine is increasingly recognized worldwide for its life-saving innovations. Our ability to treat and cure both minor ailments and major diseases has rapidly increased, improving quality of life for people across the globe. A common factor making many of these advances possible has been our ability to prevent and cure infections. Antibiotics have long underpinned modern medicine, helping stave off infections and mitigate risk for those undergoing surgeries and other medical procedures. Vaccines, hygiene, and behavioral changes have helped people avoid becoming infected and spreading infectious agents, extending life expectancy and enhancing the quality of life worldwide.
​Now, as we navigate the global COVID-19 pandemic, we are simultaneously confronted with a troubling outlook for the future. Effective treatments to stave off life-threatening infections are essential in addressing the health threats associated with pandemics like COVID-19. As we navigate our world in the COVID-19 era, it becomes increasingly clear that we must also take steps to ensure that we are prepared for the next pandemic including promoting new antibiotic development.
WHAT IS ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE - EXPLAINER VIDEO
The COVID-19 crisis has reinforced the critical importance of treatments for infectious disease, as many related deaths and severe cases involve not only the virus, but also superimposed bacterial infections (sometimes hospital acquired “superbugs”). Antibiotics and antifungal medicines play an important role in the treatment of patients suffering from a pandemic, but our supply of effective medicines is dwindling due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
AMR is a threat to all of us, especially those with chronic conditions. Without effective antimicrobial medicines, patients lose not just treatments for serious infections, but they also face significantly increased risks from many medical services that rely upon the effective prevention and treatment of infections. ​
This includes:
organ transplantation
cancer treatments
major surgeries
like joint replacements
care of preterm infants and immunocompromised patients​
other vulnerable patients
Faces of AMR
Salt in My Soul is a documentary about Mallory Smith, a cystic fibrosis patient who lost her 25 year battle in 2017 due to an antibiotic resistant infection.