Antimicrobial Resistance : A game changer on the road to a better Research System?
“From neglected diseases to superbugs – we need a better way of making drugs”.
14-20 november 2016
What is the A2M week?
In the week of 14 – 20 november 2016 UAEM internationally organizes Access to Medicine (A2M) Week. In this week we will open the discussion in the Netherlands about the current A2M crises. The topic of this year is the Antimicrobial Resistance and the lack of new antibiotica development. We will try to raise awareness for this topic by organizing film screenings, masterclasses and debates for students and acedemics.
UAEM-global on A2M week
” As researchers and academics, it is our responsibility to generate and transmit knowledge. We have a key role in helping to promote innovation in many fields and to ensure that our innovations are used to benefit the public. In no field are the moral imperatives to do so as clear as they are in medicine. At a time of huge progress in scientific research and with more money being spent on biomedical R&D than ever before, we are deeply concerned about the ability of existing mechanisms to translate investment into a better global health for all. We call upon the delegates at the WHA to openly deliberate and discuss the endorsement of a deeply needed global health research & development agreement. ”
Amsterdam VU/UvA
10 november – Movie night “Fire in the blood” & lecture with Wilbert Bannenberg @ VU
Social media campaign @ UVA
Utrecht
Maastricht
Groningen
Nijmegen
UAEM-NL
Antimicrobial resistance: AMR
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the defining health challenges of this century. If we do not address AMR, the death toll will rise from 700.000 AMR related deaths per annum today to a staggering 10 million by 2050. Very little has been done to research new antibiotics and to make existing antibiotics available at affordable prices to those who need them.
The lack of new antibiotics is just one of the many symptoms of a failing biomedical Research and Development (R&D) system. The current, profit-driven R&D system has also failed to deliver drugs for neglected diseases and pediatric formulations. It is consistently producing unaffordable drugs while incentivizing investment into non-therapeutically advantageous drugs. To address this failure, the recent United Nations High Level Panel on Access to Medicines recommended the negotiation of a global convention on R&D, aligning with UAEM and many other organizations who have been working to advance discussions for a global R&D agreement.1 Such an agreement would cover all aspects of R&D; ensuring sustainable funding, priority setting and coordination of public needs-driven R&D under the principles of effectiveness, efficiency, delinkage, equity and affordability.
Antimicrobial resistance requires alternative models of R&D. Alternatives which prioritize health needs, not profits.2 December 2050 could mark the passing of the 10 millionth annual life due to resistant infections. Or it could be the month in which we look back and see antimicrobial resistance as the game changing trigger that made us start making medicines for people, not for profit.
1 Through our Global Campaign for Alternative R&D, launched in Fall of 2015, UAEM continues to work with allies to advocate for member state support of an R&D Agreement and discussion of such an agreement at the World Health Organization.
2 UAEM recently mapped 81 existing and proposed alternative initiatives for biomedical R&D in our RE:Route Report. For more information and to download our complete report visit www.altreroute.com!
TO READ THE FULL UAEM POSITION PAPER ON AMR AND R&D click here.