Covid-19 offers important lessons to tackle AMR, think tank says

The Covid-19 pandemic is likely speeding up the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), according to a new report released by think tank Reform.

The report, which examines the UK’s response so far to AMR, addresses the urgent need for action if the impact on health and the economy due to AMR is to be lessened.

Whilst the impact of pandemic has been great, drug resistance “will have deeper and even farther-reaching consequences for all countries’ health systems and the world economy than Covid-19 is having,” former chief medical officer, Dame Sally Davies says in the foreword of the report.

It warns how Covid-19 is likely speeding up AMR, with 92% of Covid-19 patients admitted to intensive care around the world receiving some form on antibiotic treatment.

Drug-resistant superbugs currently cause around 700,000 deaths every year, a figure which could rise to 10 million by 2050, if AMR is left unchecked. The impact to the global economy will also be great, with the report estimating a cost of 100 trillion USD and disproportionately affecting low-and middle-income (LMIC) countries.

The UK has widely been regarded at being at the front of efforts against AMR, though the report mentions a growing concern that political will is diminishing and highlights the need to act now. The UK’s efforts have included a range of AMR reports and policy suggestions, and last year saw the launch of subscription style payment model to encourage pharmaceutical companies to develop new drugs for resistant infections.

Reform’s report however says that “decades of advocacy on AMR have not translated into sufficient action,” and that efforts are hampered by a lack of investment by both government and industry.

The report highlights diagnostics as an area which could be particularly beneficial for AMR and is calling on ministers to explore a ‘test, test, test’ approach to tackling AMR, similar to what’s been deployed against Covid-19. Examples include better use of spot tests - which allow clinicians to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections - to help reduce unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics as a default option.  

Reform is now calling on NHS England to commission a national assessment of point-of-care diagnostics to maintain the ‘test, test, test’ momentum. The think tank is also suggesting a renewed focus on vaccination to prevent future illness and reduce demand for antibiotics.

A similar focus on hygiene procedures, sanitation, and monitoring of infections within care settings, is another key lesson from the pandemic identified by the think tank, which if continued could help tackle AMR.

More so, Reform is calling for ongoing investment to train and upskill healthcare staff in Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC), due to workforce shortages in community and primary care settings  prior to pandemic.

Eleonora Harwich, director of Research, Reform, said: “Although the pandemic has caused an unprecedented level of hardship, there are invaluable lessons from the battle against COVID-19 which will help us win the war on AMR.

“It’s vital that the Government maintains the momentum gained across diagnostics, vaccine development and infection reduction practices, alongside efforts to stimulate the development of new antibiotics. The pandemic must also provide impetus for the world to step up its response to this looming threat.”

Dame Sally Davies, UK Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance, said: “While the world's attention is rightly focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot afford to ignore the relentless, silent global health pandemic that is AMR.

“The clock is ticking, and we must up our pace if we want to preserve lifesaving antibiotics for future generations. The UK has made incredible progress in the last few years, but like with COVID-19, AMR is not a single-nation issue and can only be tackled through international collaboration and with the support of industry.

“The UK is already at the forefront and now will continue to lead AMR efforts with global partners to save modern medicine. We must replenish the pipeline of new antibiotics, but also surveillance, research and awareness, ensuring that we have a toolkit of effective, appropriate and accessible diagnostics, vaccines, and alternative therapies. The time to act is now."