Nobody can say that the pharmaceutical industry has been idle over the course of 2016 in its pursuit for an effective solution to combat the rise of growing antimicrobial resistance. We’ve made significant progress in launching and developing a collaborative approach towards fighting this threat and in raising awareness about AMR in Europe and globally, maintaining the momentum for political action.

Nevertheless, today, on Antibiotic Awareness Day 2016, EFPIA is ready to take this one step further. In the spirit of the January 2016 Davos Declaration, and the September 2016 Industry Roadmap for Progress on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance, and in terms of reiterating its commitment to combatting AMR, EFPIA is issuing a definitive call.

On the political front, we are keen to ensure that there is effective and appropriate follow-up of the 21 September 2016 UN High-Level Meeting on AMR, at which world leaders for the first time signalled an “unprecedented level of attention” to curb the spread of infections that are resistant to antimicrobial medicines, reaffirming their commitment to develop national action plans on AMR, based on the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance.

EFPIA is also looking to European Commission to lend its support for the AMR issue to be raised at forthcoming meeting of the G20, the international forum for the governments and central bank governors of the 20 major economies. We would also press the Commission to include prevention and vaccination in both the EU and national action plans that are in the process of being developed in the fight against AMR.

A major focus must be placed on building and boosting support for the further development of the evidence base underpinning the “one health approach” to AMR, making siloed perspectives a thing of the past.

The pharmaceutical industry is seeking international and European collaboration in designing, implementing and monitoring antimicrobial stewardship interventions. We want to promote the active sharing of national design and implementation strategies and campaigns to support appropriate antimicrobial use and feel that the EU could take more of a leading role in this area at global level.

We need urgently to explore how we can improve the sharing of best practice and harness supporting data on appropriate antimicrobial use and its impact on relevant qualitative and quantitative outcomes. Furthermore, we would call on all stakeholders to work with the pharmaceutical industry to identify best practices on antibiotic promotional activities to ensure that they align with the goal of advancing antimicrobial stewardship – a concept highlighted in the recent ECDC Public Consultation.

Ultimately, no real headway can be made without concerted effort and focus on the part of the pharmaceutical industry. That is why we are seeking as a matter of urgency, support for the development of novel incentive policies that improve financial and access-related predictability. The aim is to ensure sustainable investment in new antibiotics, vaccines, and diagnostics.

We as an industry are determined to play our part in finally putting the ghost of AMR to rest. To do this effectively, though, we need all stakeholders to offer the same, unremitting commitment.