18.11.2011

The European Commission, published a five-year action plan on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in human and animal medicine.
Highlighting the seriousness of the problem, the Commission said about 25,000 patients were dying each year in the EU from infections caused by drug resistant bacteria and related costs of over 1.5 billion euros (($2.0 billion) in healthcare expenses and productivity losses.
The European Parliament recently called for a ban on the prophylactic use of antibiotics for livestock to reduce the risk of resistance being transferred between animals and humans.
The 12-point action plan reflects the growing belief that high usage of antibiotics in farming, primarily the pig, poultry and dairy sectors, is contributing significantly to the problem:
• Improve awareness raising on the appropriate use of antimicrobials
• Strengthen EU law on veterinary medicines and on medicated feed
• Introduce recommendations for prudent use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine, including follow-up reports
• Strengthen infection prevention and control in hospitals, clinics, etc.
• Introduce legal tools to tighten prevention and control of infections in animals in the new EU Animal Health Law
• Promote unprecedented collaboration to bring new antimicrobials to patients
• Promote efforts to analyse the need for new antibiotics in veterinary medicine
• Develop and/or strengthen multilateral and bilateral commitments for the prevention and control of AMR
• Strengthen surveillance systems on AMR and antimicrobial consumption in human medicines
• Strengthen surveillance systems on AMR and antimicrobial consumption in  animal medicines
• Reinforce and co-ordinate research
• Improve communication on AMR to the public