UK unveils £85 million package to combat antimicrobial resistance
The United Kingdom government has unveiled an ambitious £85 million package to combat the escalating global crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This pressing issue renders many infections difficult or impossible to treat effectively.
The announcement was made at a global event hosted by the Royal Society on 16 May, where world leaders, experts like the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the World Bank, as well as AMR survivors convened to chart priority actions against AMR.
The key initiatives include:
- Up to £50 million for partnership with African nations to enhance access to essential antimicrobial drugs, building on the UK Global AMR Innovation Fund’s ongoing efforts. This will involve collaborations with low- and middle-income countries, leveraging local expertise.
- Up to £25 million for strengthening AMR surveillance systems in the Caribbean through regional partners, enabling accurate threat monitoring. Additional funding will explore establishing global AMR centers modeled after the UK’s Fleming Centre.
- £10 million over 5 years to help establish an independent global scientific panel on AMR, akin to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
- £1.8 million already allocated for a dedicated team at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority to support novel antimicrobial and diagnostic development.
A threat the world must take extremely seriously
Health Minister Andrew Stephenson commented: “Antimicrobial resistance could render our most vital medicines useless – it is a threat the world must take extremely seriously. This package builds on the world-leading work the UK is already doing to support low- and middle-income countries.”
Sobering statistics underscore the urgency: In 2019, 4.95 million global deaths were associated with drug-resistant bacterial infections, projected to rise to 10 million by 2050 with a staggering $100 trillion economic toll. The OECD warns that failing to act could incur costs comparable to a COVID pandemic every 5 years.
Five million AMR associated deaths annually
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron noted: “Global deaths from AMR are already at nearly 5 million a year. We must do more to tackle this threat and do it together.”
UK AMR Special Envoy Dame Sally Davies said: “The global antibiotic emergency is an existential threat to communities everywhere. I call on everyone to join us to make equity, One Health and action the cornerstone of our next steps.”
Dr Colin Brown from the UK Health Security Agency emphasized: “Tackling this issue is a priority for UKHSA but long-term success requires global action. We need international surveillance to identify new areas of AMR and collaboration.”
This package builds on the UK’s recently announced national AMR action plan and the £210 million Fleming Fund partnership across Asia and Africa to curb AMR’s threat.
