Press Release: European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2013: EU steps up its fight against drug-resistant bacteria

A survey published by the European Commission on 15 November 2013 revealed a decrease in antibiotic use in humans since 2009 and growing public awareness that antibiotics do not kill viruses. However, data released in parallel by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) showed a marked increase in drug-resistant bacteria. The Commission therefore decided to step up the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through the funding of 15 new research projects and harmonised rules on the collection of data on AMR linked to animals and food.

• Primary Source

European Commission: RAPID: Memo, MEMO/13/996: EU launches new research projects to combat anti-microbial resistance http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-996_en.htm

European Commission: RAPID: Memo, MEMO/13/994: European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2013: Key Facts on the Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance in the EU http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-994_en.htm

ESO: Background information: New EMA guidance on development of antibacterials to help in the fight against multidrug-resistant pathogens http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-new-ema-guidance-on-development-of-antibacterials-to-help-in-the-fight-against-multidrug-resistant-pathogens/

EurActiv, 18.11.13: New projects launched to fight drug-resistant bacteria http://www.euractiv.com/health/commission-launches-new-research-news-531727

ECDC: Press Release, 15.11.13: Rates of carbapenem-resistant infections continue to increase in Europe http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/press/Press%20Releases/antimicrobial-resistance-rates-carbapenem-resistant-infections-continue-to-increase-in-Europe.pdf

ECDC: Technical Report: Carbapenemase-producing bacteria in Europe http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/antimicrobial-resistance-carbapenemase-producing-bacteria-europe.pdf

http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/antimicrobial-resistance-surveillance-europe-2012.pdf http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/antimicrobial-resistance-surveillance-europe-2012.pdf

European Medicines Agency: News, 18.11.13: European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2013: ‘Everyone is responsible’ http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/news_and_events/news/2013/11/news_detail_001959.jsp&mid=WC0b01ac058004d5c1

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