On Thursday 1 June, the European Parliament adopted (525 votes in favour, 2 against and 33 abstentions) a joint resolution (EPP, S&D, Renew Europe...) calling for a coordinated EU response to the health threats posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
MEPs believe that the fight against AMR requires prudent use of antibiotics for humans and animals, good infection prevention and control measures, and more research and development into new antimicrobials and their alternatives (see other news).
Should the measures recommended to the Member States prove insufficient, additional EU legislative measures should be taken, according to the European Parliament.
EU countries are called upon to set up and regularly update (at least every two years) national action plans against antimicrobial resistance that are a priority for national health systems.
While agreeing with the objective of reducing total human consumption of antibiotics in the EU by 20% by 2030, MEPs urge EU countries to take appropriate national measures to ensure that, by 2030, “at least 70% of total human consumption of antibiotics corresponds to antibiotics in the Access group, as defined in the WHO AWaRe classification” (antibiotics effective against a wide range of commonly encountered pathogens, with a lower potential for resistance).
Link to the resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/76l (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)