World’s 20 leading biopharmaceutical companies have announced the launch of the AMR Action Fund, a ground-breaking partnership that aims to bring 2-4 new antibiotics to patients by 2030. There is rapid rise in antibiotic-resistant infections – also called antimicrobial resistance, or AMR and these treatments are urgently needed to address the growing issue concerning patients worldwide. These companies have pledged nearly US$1 billion funding to support clinical research of innovative new antibiotics that are addressing the most resistant bacteria and life-threatening infections.
The World Patients Alliance applauds the creation of the AMR Action Fund, a bold effort to develop new antibiotics and bring them to patients this decade.
Without action, antimicrobial resistance is expected to kill 10 million people each year by 2050. [1] Despite the severity of this threat, we have done little to avert the coming public health crisis. Sadly, as the COVID-19 pandemic shows, there are severe consequences to sitting idly by in the face of a global health emergency.
The AMR Action Fund is a crucial step towards defeating antimicrobial resistance. As an advocacy organization committed to patients’ health and wellbeing, we commend the private companies and global public health agencies that have come together to protect patients worldwide from this deadly threat.
[1] https://amr-review.org/sites/default/files/AMR%20Review%20Paper%20-%20Tackling%20a%20crisis%20for%20the%20health%20and%20wealth%20of%20nations_1.pdf