WAAW^* Event:
Combatting Antimicrobial Resistance – Strategies and Challenges

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is one of the major global threats to public and animal health. It causes more than 1 million deaths per year worldwide (Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis) with an upward trend. A One Health approach will make the fight against AMR more effective. In this context, the exchange of experience and knowledge from the different disciplines is a helpful measure to tackle this problem.

In line with this One Health approach, the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) hosted the event “Combatting Antimicrobial Resistance – Strategies and Challenges” on 20 -21 November 2023 as part of the World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW). The event will take place as a face-to-face meeting in Berlin, Germany; in addition, BVL offers the possibility to follow the event online.

The aim of this event is to share expertise and discuss new ideas on the topic of "Strategies and measures for the reduction of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)". The event was primarily aimed to stakeholders from European and national authorities involved in this context, but participation from outside the EU is of course welcome.

Against the background of the European Commission's "One Health Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance" and the focus topic "Antimicrobial Resistance and Other Emerging Health Threats" of the network strategy of the European medicines agencies (Network strategy to 2025), European and national strategies to reduce AMR and their implementation were discussed. The meeting also included an exchange of experiences and an update on the implementation of the mandatory measures under Regulation (EU) 2019/6 (veterinary medicinal product regulation), such as the mandatory recording of consumption of antimicrobial medicinal products in animals in all EU Member States from 2023.

Another topic focussed on the actions of the National Competent Authorities from the side of BVL in the context of the key issue of „Antimicrobial resistance and other emerging health threats“ of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) network and the Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA) of the European Union. This event promoted the exchange and collaboration between different institutions and the academic disciplines working in the field of antimicrobial resistance in veterinary medicine, human medicine and environment within Europe. Furthermore, the expansion of the topic to global aspects and their impact were adressed.

Common goals and solutions were discussed in a concluding panel discussion. More information can be found in the event-programme.

Please note: registration for on-site participation is closed.

The programme and the presentations of the event can be found here for download

^* World AMR Awareness Week