EFPIA supports a new R&D model to tackle antimicrobial resistance

A vote of the European Parliament’s Health Committee on the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance, to cope with this growing problem, calling for more research and better monitoring of the effects of antimicrobials, was adopted yesterday.

“The growing ineffectiveness of antibiotics is already a serious problem today and a potential health time bomb for the future. We need a clear European Union and international strategy to prevent misuse in agriculture and medicine, as well as to encourage the development of new antibiotics,” said Parliament’s Public Health Committee chairman Jo Leinen (S&D, DE).

Parliament wants the European Commission and EU member states to improve information to the public, around half of whom mistakenly believe that antibiotics can treat viruses or colds. MEPs also want the Commission to propose incentives to boost pharmaceutical research, which has produced few new antibiotics in recent decades.