Documents to download

This House of Lords Library briefing has been prepared for the debate in the House of Lords on the final report of the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, Tackling Drug-resistant Infections Globally: Final Report and Recommendations, scheduled for 15 September 2016. The briefing includes background to the subject of antimicrobial resistance (including commentary from the Review itself and from the World Health Organisation (WHO)), a summary of the recommendations and economic costings in the Review, and brief information on how the UK and the WHO are already looking to combat the issue.

The Review (which was commissioned by the Coalition Government in July 2014) describes antimicrobial resistance as “a natural process whereby microbes evolve to be able to resist the action of drugs, making them ineffective”. Over time, this can lead to antibiotics (and other antimicrobials) becoming less effective or, in some cases, ineffective entirely. Although describing it as a “natural phenomenon”, the WHO state that the rate of resistance is accelerated by the overuse or misuse of antibiotics (both in humans and in animals) and by poor infection prevention and control practices. The Review estimated that 700,000 people worldwide a year currently die of resistant infections, and that (if action is not taken) by 2050 this number could rise to around 10 million a year. It also estimated that this would cost around a cumulative $100 trillion in global economic output.

Emphasising that the issue needed to be dealt with on a global basis, the Review set out the importance of addressing issues connected to the supply and demand of antimicrobials. The final report of the Review set out ten recommendations to work towards this. Of these, four were highlighted as “particularly important” in the foreword to the report by Lord O’Neill of Gatley, who led the review. These were: a global public awareness campaign to educate people about the issue of drug resistance; introducing market entry rewards for the development of certain successful new drugs; stimulating the market and development of diagnostic technologies to reduce the unnecessary prescription of antimicrobials; and reducing the use of antibiotics in agriculture. The Review estimated that its recommendations would cost around $40 billion globally over a decade.

The Coalition Government published a five-year strategy for addressing AMR in 2013 and, in 2015, the WHO published its global action plan on the issue. On 21 September 2016, the issue is due to be discussed at the meeting of the United Nations annual General Assembly as a High Level Meeting agenda item for the first time.


Documents to download

Related posts

  • Closure of bank branches: Impact on rural communities

    Over the last three decades, the number of bank branches in the UK has declined due to advances in technology and changing customer habits. Stakeholders have argued that these closures have negatively affected rural communities. In recent years, successive governments and the Financial Conduct Authority have taken action aimed at ensuring sufficient access to banking services, including for rural communities. This briefing provides an overview of these measures, as well as information on the number of bank closures and their impact on rural communities.

    Closure of bank branches: Impact on rural communities
  • Creative industries: Growth, jobs and productivity

    The government has identified the creative industries as one of eight “growth driving” sectors it will prioritise in its industrial strategy. The strategy is due to be published later this year, along with a creative industries sector plan. The creative industries have called on barriers to growth, such as skills gaps and access to funding, to be addressed in the sector plan.

    Creative industries: Growth, jobs and productivity
  • Encouraging retail investment in the stock market

    Individual consumers investing in the stock market, known as ‘retail’ investment, can have benefits for individuals and the economy, though it also brings risks. The Financial Conduct Authority estimates that a significant number of people in the UK have cash savings that are depreciating in value and would produce higher returns if invested. Some commentators and thinktanks have argued the government should pursue policies to encourage greater retail investment in the stock market.

    Encouraging retail investment in the stock market