Brussels, 10/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - The Commissioner for Health, Vytenis Andriukaitis, has drawn up a rather positive balance sheet of the European action plan to tackle the increasing threats of antimicrobial resistance. During a conference on Wednesday 10 February in Amsterdam, however, he encouraged the EU 28 to step up its action on both the national and international scene in this connection.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) describes the ability of a micro-organism to resist antimicrobial treatment to which it was previously sensitive. This is one of the Dutch Presidency of the Council of the EU's priorities. The Netherlands is effectively arguing in favour of a “single health” concept based on coordinated action in the areas of health, the environment, agriculture and animal rearing. This is why it organised a conference attended by the respective ministers for health and agriculture.
In her introduction, the Dutch Minister for Health, Well-Being and Sport, Edith Schippers, stated “I know that some of you are worried about subsidiarity. I want to assure you that I am as critical as you about this subject. Nonetheless, that does not mean we cannot work together. AMR is a cross-border threat, whether we like it or not”. She then urged her colleagues to focus their efforts on: (1) preventing infections and careful use of antibiotics; (2) developing alternatives to antibiotics and (3) creating novel, rapid and affordable diagnosis instruments.
Commissioner Andriukaitis's speech focused on the European action plan to combat the increasing threats posed by antimicrobial resistance (COM (2011)748). This will expire at the end of this year. He welcomed the progress made in monitoring, research and innovation, which has materialised by way of falling sales in antimicrobials for animals and stable prices for those for human use. During his speech, the Commissioner announced his intention to launch a “single health network”, which will bring together all the different experts (animal health, human health and the environment) at the respective national levels. He also made a commitment to putting forward harmonised guidelines on the careful use of antimicrobials in medicines for human use, in compliance with the Council recommendation on this subject. He also demonstrated his wish to launch a joint EU-member state action on AMR and nosocomial infections, co-financed through the EU health programme and by member states. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)