Author: Anna Sundin

G-20 Leaders and AMR 

JPIAMR is willing to play a key role in this week G-20 Leaders Summit Communique on unlocking R&D of new and existing antimicrobials: 

“Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a serious threat to public health, growth and global economic stability. We affirm the need to explore in an inclusive manner to fight antimicrobial resistance by developing evidence-based ways to prevent and mitigate resistance, and unlock research and development into new and existing antimicrobials from a G20 value-added perspective, and call on the WHO, FAO, OIE and OECD to collectively report back in 2017 on options to address this including the economic aspects. In this context, we will promote prudent use of antibiotics and take into consideration huge challenges of affordability and access of antimicrobials and their impact on public health. We strongly support the work of the WHO, FAO and the OIE and look forward to a successful high-level meeting on AMR during the UN General Assembly. We look forward to the discussion under the upcoming presidency for dealing with these issues.”

 For more information please read here

 

On June16, the European Commission published a Special Eurobarometer survey, showing a decrease of 6% in the consumption of antibiotics but at the same time a persistent lack of awareness on their effects. A majority of Europeans (57%) are unaware that antibiotics are ineffective against viruses. The Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis states that this shows that there is an issue of awareness.

“The EU should continue its global involvement in fighting AMR. // I look forward to seeing all Member States have an Action Plan on AMR in place by next year. I am confident this will help to tackle the issue. We really need action on this urgently!”, said Andriukaitis.

Read the press release here

 

Download the Eurobarometer Summary

In this official statement the Minister of Health of the EU acknowledges the work of JPIAMR and calls all the Member States to “join or strengthen their commitment to the existing Joint Programming Initiative on AMR”

Download the document here

To fight growing antimicrobial resistance, the use of existing antimicrobial drugs should be restricted, and there should be incentives for new ones should be developed
In a vote on draft plans to update EU law on veterinary medicines, MEPs have backed a ban on collective and preventive antibiotic treatment of animals and called for measures to stimulate research into new medicines.
Veterinary medicines must not under any circumstances be used to improve performance or compensate for poor animal husbandry, say MEPs. Using antibiotics as a preventive measure, in the absence of clinical signs of infection should be limited to single animals and only when fully justified by a veterinarian.
To help tackle antimicrobial resistance, the revised law would empower the European Commission to designate certain antimicrobials for human use only.
To encourage research into new antimicrobials, MEPs want to see incentives, including longer periods of market exclusivity.

Today, the Commission announces a new EU Health Award, which will be awarded to non-governmental bodies (NGOs) that distinguished themselves for their efforts and achievements towards reducing the threat to human health from Antimicrobial Resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance is a ticking time bomb presenting a threat as big as climate change. It is a priority for me to take action to avert it both at the EU level and globally, with the help and commitment of NGOs.

The European Commission calls upon international, European, national and regional NGOs active in the field of AMR to submit their initiatives to the EU Health Award 2016. The call for applications focuses on reducing the threat to human health in fields such as:

• Prevention of infection
• Appropriate use of antimicrobials
• Surveillance
• Tackling AMR from a specific disease perspective (e.g. Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS…).
• Other initiatives that can reduce the threat to human health from AMR.

The deadline for submitting applications is 31 July 2016, 23.59 CET/Brussels Time. Prizes for the winners are as follows:

• 1st prize: 20 000 €
• 2nd prize: 15 000 €
• 3rd prize: 10 000 €

All shortlisted candidates will be invited to an Award Ceremony in the presence of the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis. The winners will be invited to join the EU Health Policy Platform and contribute to the discussions.

More details on the Award including eligibility and selection criteria, information on the jury, the prizes, the award ceremony and the EU Health Policy Platform can be found here

JPIAMR welcome the Independent AMR Review Final report “Tackling Drug-Resistant Infections Globally: Final Report and Recommendations” that highlights the importance to tackle Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on a global level.

–  As resistant bacteria know no national borders, we need to work at an international scale to tackle antimicrobial resistance, which is exactly what we do in the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance. We align national resources to fill knowledge gaps and today, we are 22 member states, enabling collaborative actions in this field, says Dr. Carlos Segovia, Chair of JPIAMR. The work performed by JPIAMR, The Joint Programming Initiative on AMR, is mentioned several times in the report. Our work is based on a Strategic Research Agenda covering the whole range of research fields related to AMR, and supports collaborative action to fill knowledge gaps. By mobilising existing and new resources, our initiative creates a greater critical mass and attracts new researchers into the AMR field.

–  We must carry out more research to better understand how resistance develops and spreads in the environment. Research should contribute to design effective programmes to change the use antibiotics, both in agriculture and in health care systems which are also key areas for improvement. We are therefore welcoming the suggestion from the reviewers to increase the incentives to reduce the antibiotic use in agriculture, but we need research to find new diagnostic tools, actions to prevent resistance transmission, and new antibiotics, says Dr. Carlos Segovia.

The 10 Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIS) has presented the last GPC meeting a Joint Statement of the 10 JPIs Chairs. The Statement follows the Lund Statement of the JPIs last December and aims to react to the recent Evaluation Report regarding the progress of the different JPIs.

The statement highlights:
• JPIs as one of the most important initiatives at European level addressing societal challenges. This requires also dialogue with the policy sectors concerned other than research itself, and is the justification for the next two points.
• In order to address societal challenges effectively, there is a need to bridge the gap between JPIs and national programming, and in this sense interpreting JPIs as a process of alignment taking a multilevel approach, meaning using a variety of instruments other than just funding. This assumes implicitly that funding decisions are only a final point in a process of decision making that should incorporate and increase consistency between JPIs and national programmes. Opening of national programmes to European dynamics to bridge the gap.
• JPIs should be taken as relevant actors in all European research initiatives, therefore should collaborate with ESFIC, GPC, ERAC, and participate in the discussions around the next framework programme.

You can find the full Statement here

Please note the specific Call Topic:

• Addressing the clinical burden of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI): evaluation of the burden, current practices and set up of a European research platform
• (part of the IMI New Drugs for Bad Bugs (ND4BB) programme)

Deadline for submitting short proposals under Call 9: Tuesday 26 July 2016. 

Find out more

The Call text, as well as details of how to apply, can be found on the respective web page.

Webinars

From 11 to 29 April 2016, IMI is holding information webinars on each of the Call topics as well as on IMI rules and procedures. The registration links, webinar presentations and video recordings can be found online. 

Find partners for submitting a proposal

Get advice on how to find project partners at www.imi.europa.eu/content/partner-search. 

Why apply?

The Calls for proposals represent an excellent opportunity for researchers to take part in ground-breaking collaborative projects that aim to deliver tangible benefits for patients. Scientists from academia, industry, SMEs, medium-sized companies, hospitals and patients’ organisations are warmly invited to get involved in our projects.

 

The symposium is organized jointly by the Medicinal Chemistry Section of the Swedish Pharmaceutical Society and ENABLE, one of the projects in the Innovative Medicines Initiative ND4BB, to showcase the future and opportunities for antibiotic drug discovery in a stimulating environment. It is also designed to provide plenty of opportunities to meet other delegates, renew friendships and foster new contacts. Please circulate this information widely in your networks.

Preliminary programme

Download programme