Photo Rodrigo Senna
(BRUSSELS) – The EU Commission launched Friday a public consultation on possible activities to include in a new action plan to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) it plans to adopt this summer.
The consultation includes a questionnaire for public administrations and stakeholders and a questionnaire for citizens, to ensure that everyone has their voice heard on how best the Action Plan can support EU countries in the fight against AMR.
The consultation will run until 28 April 2017.
AMR is a growing global health threat carrying a significant societal and economic burden. In the EU alone, AMR is responsible for 25,000 deaths and over EUR 1.5 billion of healthcare costs and productivity losses annually.
Given its severity, AMR is a political priority within the EU and the Commission says it has been committed to combating it since 1999 with a “One Health” approach which recognises that the health of people, animals and the environment are inextricably linked.
The new plan is set to build on the evaluation of existing initiatives, with a view to expanding towards “innovative approaches, whilst ensuring the continuation of EU actions that are still needed”.
The Commission says the plan will focus on activities with a clear EU added value and, where possible, on measurable and concrete outcomes.
It hopes this wide-reaching public consultation will contribute towards the common goal of preserving the efficacy of antimicrobials, strengthening infection control and stimulating innovation into new treatments.
