Delivered by Nina Grundmann, Manager, Global Health Policy, IFPMA
IFPMA commends the World Health Organization on the implementation of its AMR GAP and the 67 Member States which have now completed their national action plans.
Our industry is at the forefront of leading action to address AMR and is committed to continuing to engage with stakeholders to find sustainable solutions. In an unprecedented effort, over 100 companies signed the Industry Declaration on AMR in Davos in 2016, followed by the adoption of a Roadmap by a number of pharmaceutical companies. These documents lay out commitments to reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance, invest in R&D to meet public health needs and improve access to antibiotics, vaccines and diagnostics.
We are pleased to announce the creation of the AMR Industry Alliance, which will represent a wide-range of industry stakeholders including R&D manufacturers, generics, biotechs and diagnostics companies. The AMR Industry Alliance will ensure that signatories collectively deliver on the commitments made in the Declaration and the Roadmap, and report on the progress made.
We welcome WHO’s efforts to strengthen a more systematic approach towards stewardship. Improving the appropriate use of antibiotics is a complex process and should not be equated with simply restricting access. We recommend a case-by-case approach taking into account local antibiotic resistance patterns and tailored towards national health system capabilities.
IFPMA also supports ongoing discussions on mechanisms to ensure affordable access to new and existing antibiotics. Addressing AMR to the fullest requires comprehensive efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, vaccination rates, infection control, education, and stewardship. Efficient public health policies and health care infrastructure are critical to ensure that patients have access to the right treatment at the right moment.
Collectively, we need to build upon the momentum provided by the WHO GAP and the 67 national AMR action plans to move forward concrete actions on AMR.