New consultation launched to inform next stage of tackling antimicrobial resistance building on 20-year vision.
- Recent estimates suggest that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) causes 1.27 million deaths globally each year and 7,600 deaths in the UK each year
- Views sought to inform next 5-year plan to tackle what has been described as the next potential global pandemic
The increasing risk to patients of superbugs resistant to existing medicines will be the focus of a new consultation launched today (Wednesday 23 November 2022).
The consultation will bring together the latest evidence and data from leading experts on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). It will help inform a new 5-year national action plan to protect patients from deadly infections and will capture learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The consultation has been launched to coincide with World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022, with this year’s theme focused on ensuring that affected sectors – such as food, plants, environment and health – collaborate together to fight AMR.
Resistance to antimicrobials is increasing, creating a new generation of ‘superbugs’ that cannot be treated with existing medicines. Without working antibiotics, routine surgery like caesarean sections or hip replacements will become too dangerous to perform, cancer chemotherapy will become too high risk and certain infections will require long and complex treatment or will no longer be treatable.
Antimicrobial resistance national action plan – call for evidence