ECDC, EFSA, EMA and OECD publishes joint report on AMR in the EU and EEA

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have published a joint report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the EU and EEA, which calls for a One Health response.

The report finds that overall consumption of antibiotics in humans in the EU and EEA decreased by 23% between 2011 and 2020, with the mean total consumption of antibiotics dropping by almost 18% between 2019 and 2020. However, relative use of broad-spectrum antibiotics has increased and significant variability across countries suggests that reductions are still possible. Efforts to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics in food-producing animals have resulted in a 43% decrease in use between 2011 and 2020 in the 25 countries with consistent reporting.

Despite reductions in antibiotic consumption in both humans and food-producing animals, AMR in bacteria from humans in the EU and EEA has increased for many antibiotic-bacterium combinations since 2011. The report highlights concern about the rise in resistance to critically important antibiotics used to treat common healthcare-associated infections. 

The report concludes that evidence that AMR can spread between animals, humans and the environment is mounting. Reducing the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals, replacing them where possible and rethinking the livestock production system in a One Health approach is essential for the future of animal and public health.

Source: ECDC, 7 March 2022