Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major threat to public health and the global economy. Indeed, a RAND Europe study found that failure to address AMR could result in worldwide economic losses of $3 trillion and annual population decreases of 10 million people every year until 2050.
In May 2016, the UK's Review on AMR, headed by economist Jim O'Neill, delivered its final report, which stressed the need to find global and cooperative international solutions. It is good news then that the United States and European Union (EU) are among the most important international actors in this area committed to making an effort to tackle AMR, both domestically and in collaboration with their international partners.
The United States adopted a National Action Plan to tackle AMR in 2015, and the Obama administration nearly doubled federal funding for 2016 to more than $1.2 billion. Similarly, the EU's activities in the area are guided by an EU Action Plan on AMR, which RAND Europe is evaluating, with the EU dedicating substantial resources to AMR-related efforts, including about €2 billion on AMR-related research from 2012-2015.
Read Full Article »