WHO launches tool to reduce spread of antimicrobial resistance

A new global tool has been launched to help governments reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The Aware tool was launched by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as part of a global campaign to combat AMR.

Developed by the WHO Essential Medicines List, the tool classifies antibiotics into three groups – Access, Watch and Reserve – in order to guide governments over which antibiotics should be prioritised.

In particular, it specifies which antibiotics should be available at all times, and those that must be used sparingly or preserved and only used as a last resort.

The WHO hopes that the new campaign can increase the global consumption of antibiotics in the Access group to at least 60%, and reduce the use of antibiotics most at risk of resistance from the other two groups. Since antibiotics in the Access group target a specific microorganism rather than several this helps lower the risk of resistance.

“Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most urgent health risks of our time and threatens to undo a century of medical progress,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general. “All countries must strike a balance between ensuring access to life-saving antibiotics and slowing drug resistance by reserving the use of some antibiotics for the hardest-to-treat infections. I urge countries to adopt Aware, which is a valuable and practical tool for doing just that.” 

AMR is one of the most pressing global health concerns, one of which continues to escalate according to a recent report by the International Coordination Group of Antimicrobial Resistance. It’s estimated that over 50% of antibiotics in many countries are used inappropriately for treatments like viruses where they have no effect.

“Tackling antimicrobial resistance requires a careful balance between access and preservation,” said Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO assistant-director general for antimicrobial resistance. “The Aware tool can guide policy to ensure patients keep being treated, while also limiting use of the antibiotics most at risk of resistance.”

The Aware tool has been developed to help improve the use of antibiotics in an era where significant investment into the development of new treatments is lacking. It’s hoped that Aware will make it easier for policy-makers, prescribers and health workers to select the right antibiotic at the right time, and to protect endangered antibiotics.

“Antimicrobial resistance is an invisible pandemic,” added Dr Mariângela Simão, assistant-director general for Access to Medicines. “We are already starting to see signs of a post-antibiotic era, with the emergence of infections that are untreatable by all classes of antibiotics. We must safeguard these precious last-line antibiotics to ensure we can still treat and prevent serious infections.”