The Commission has made a promise: it will indeed implement the indicators for measuring progress made by the EU and member states in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. This is one of the flagship measures in its action plan adopted on Thursday 29 June, at the same time as the guidelines on the prudent use of antimicrobials in human health.
Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) corresponds to the resistance of a micro-organism to an antimicrobial medicine to which it was previously receptive. This can be a natural phenomenon but it has experienced significant expansion due to the abusive and inappropriate use of antimicrobial medicines and poor practices in the fight against infections in animals and human beings. According to the Commission, it is responsible for 25,000 deaths and a loss of €1.5 billion in EU care services and production every year.
3 pillars and 75 principles
The action plan is based on three pillars: making the EU into a model region; enhancing research, development and innovation; fostering the global agenda. As we previously announced (see EUROPE 11818), it takes the shape of a communication and not a legislative measure. It is appropriate to point out that there is a raft of key principles (75) for raising awareness, prevention and research. Nonetheless, as opposed to any rumours circulating, the document does indeed include a paragraph on the environment and therefore announces that the Commission is adopting a “strategic European approach to medicine is in the environment”. It also indicates that the Commission intends to optimise the use of data resulting from current follow-up approaches and strengthen the role of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) in this area.
Indicators on results by September
Another surprise involves the fact that the project to be adopted at European level will include indicators to measure the progress made by member states in the implementation of their respective national action plans and to help them define quantifiable objectives. A Commission expert informed us that, “these indicators will be developed by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) by September. They will focus on antimicrobial resistance and the use of antibiotics in animals and humans”. This progress will be discussed at regular intervals in the One Help network that works in the field of finding solutions to antimicrobial resistance.
With regard to the question of adopting a timetable, Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis indicated that this would involve a five-year strategy, similar to the first action plan. He pointed out that, “We will have our instruments in place in two and half years' time and therefore the possibility of implementing them on the ground”. He also highlighted the fact that two important legislative proposals (on veterinary medicines and medicated feed) in the fight against AMR were being discussed and should be adopted very shortly.
Guidelines on prudent use
In an effort to provide a practical dimension to its initiative, the European Commission also presented a raft of guidelines on the prudent use of antimicrobials for human health. The latter target all actors: doctors, nurses, pharmacists, hospital administrators and other people playing a role in the use of antimicrobials. They seek to complete the directives on the prevention and control of infections that can exist at national level. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)