Diagnostics vital to tackle AMR

Dr. Yoann Personne warns that, in the background of COVID-19, there is another silent pandemic growing – the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). He explains why in vitro diagnostics are vital in the fight against AMR, ensuring appropriate administration of antibiotics, reducing their misuse and potentially decreasing overall healthcare costs.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is creating a future which no science fiction novels had predicted for us; a future looking more like a distant past, where even minor injuries could lead to life-threatening infections and where modern medicine disappears. While humans are excellent at dealing with urgent situations, we sadly tend to overlook slow threats. Indeed, in the background of COVID-19, a silent pandemic is still growing but few are taking note. 

Back in 2016, Lord O’Neill made 10 key recommendations to slow down the AMR crisis and qualified diagnostics as the single biggest potential game changer in the fight against AMR. He suggested that, by 2020, all developed economies should make it mandatory to use recognised diagnostic tests before antibiotics can be given¹ (no country has met this recommendation in case you were wondering). His approach was ambitious and highlighted that it is not all about developing new therapeutics, but also preserving the antimicrobials we have available in our arsenal today for future generations.