The World Health Organization has called Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) “one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today”. Already, certain infections are becoming harder to treat as antibiotics grow less effective, leading to longer hospital stays and increased mortality. AMR causes are complex, the inappropriate use of antibiotics being one of the main drivers.
However, it is not too late to prevent a “post-antibiotics age” of superbugs, as long as there is European (and international) policy coordination and effective implementation. How can EU policymakers best encourage this approach?
We put some of YOUR questions on this topic to a panel of experts:
💬 Jacki Davis, Moderator
💬 Sophie Noya, Director of Public Policy, MSD
💬 Marc Gitzinger, President, BEAM Alliance & CEO and Co-Founder, BioVersys
How can Europe ensure antibiotics never stop working? What sort of policies are needed to prevent misuse of antibiotics? Is there enough political will to tackle the problem? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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What is the driving factor?
Quoting from the S&D Position Paper (proposal) highlighting the following:
“A EUROPEAN HEALTH UNION – INCREASING EU COMPETENCE IN HEALTH – COPING WITH COVID19 AND LOOKING TO THE FUTURE:
Currently, the EU regulates pharmaceuticals, medical devices, tobacco, alcohol, food, and chemicals, amongst others. There are EU rules on clinical trials, and health research is financed through Horizon 2020, the upcoming Horizon Europe, the Health Programme, and other EU funds. The European Medicines Agency, European Chemical Agency, and European Food Safety Authority are all executive agencies with important public health functions. There is limited coordination of healthcare systems through voluntary measures, but also through the Cross Border Healthcare Directive, and the Health Technology Assessment Regulation, which is currently being negotiated, among others”.
Agreed to be a very complex but mainly medical scientific issue- and lesser a political one!
• Without an unwell citizenry one wouldn’t require an army of doctors, health systems, the pharma industry, & politicians. Sick people are needed to feed the whole chain of importance.
• Unfortunately, little was heard or spoken about good old “prevention” in the first place. Instead, the aim was- how best to assist companies to remain afloat, grow, regulate and produce more & more efficient drugs to get all of us well- quickly!
• Today’s primary health care starts usually with a timed “15-minute” consultation. Quick in, quick out, quick healthy! “Grandma’s advice” or homoeopathy flew out the window long ago.
• Patients are impatient because everyone expects wonders to be back at work or leisure a.s.a.p. Today’s rat race- more, quicker and richer!
• Are doctors nowadays selected & trained appropriately to face the current demand & expectations from all sides? Or is it just another get-rich-quick scheme? National healthcare systems seem overstressed because the additional EU (rules) demand that every EU citizen is guaranteed (“rights”) equal (costly) treatment anywhere in the EU27.
*The “pull factor”!
• Ok, great as well- as long the finances & extra manpower are sorted out beforehand. Or is that forgotten & unimportant?
• One of the problems is that rules are made before the groundworks are in place!
• Result- a growing dilemma from A-Z.
• A better & primary health advice would be- treasure & wise up quickly. Look after your health from early on- no recklessness- before being jammed into the conveyer of failing public health systems, pharma industries & supra politics!
Stop feeding them to animals
They always work! But to not give untibiotics in important infections is dumn!
Debating ? Have you guys seen only one mediatized public debate on covid between politics and medical specialists in your country since pandemic ? No i unfortunately never seen this !
I guess that if this happened, a lot of people would wake up from this circus.
Let’s get through this pandemic first. The vaccines have helped immensely. Don’t mention the next one!!! When it comes we will all work together and take action against it. And yes the vaccines will work again!
Is this a war on pill medicine in order to offer vaccination as panacea? I don’t know, collateral marketing is a funny propaganda technique.
My priority would be to end the dependency on China and India.
tell doctors to stop prescribing antibiotics like candy
I’m not sure even doctors are willing to do that in the current system… If you can make cash by prescribing antibiotics like candy then why would you stop doing this?
Surtout que l’UE ne s’occupe plus de notre santé !!! Merci !!!
They’re brewing something new…
Two non-Europeans debate Europe. I “love” this era.
Mehhhhh
Soissons
I don’t believe that they don’t work!
And to not take antibiotics when it is needed… it is many times life and health threatening.
It is already responsible for 7 million deaths a year…more than total reported from covid since 2020….has capacity to “solve” overpopulation issue unless inappropriate use of ABs is stopped !
I can’t speak for Europe but in Bulgaria GPs must stop prescribing them to people who don’t need them and drugstore workers should be forbidden to sell them to people who don’t have prescription.