Expert group tackles economics of antimicrobial resistance

Friday 11th August 2023, 4:00pm

A researcher at The University of Edinburgh Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems joins team advising global initiative on economic challenges linked to antimicrobial resistance.



GAAFS logo - credit University of Edinburgh

International cooperation

Four international organisations have established an expert advisory panel to estimate the economic impact of antimicrobial resistance and to explore cross-sector mitigation plans.

Experts will guide the international response to antimicrobial resistance by examining the economic costs and benefits of interventions to tackle this growing issue across diverse sectors of human, animal, and environmental health.



The expert advisory group, known as the Quadripartite Technical Group on the Economics of Antimicrobial Resistance, is an initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).  Its membership includes Professor Dominic Moran, an economist from the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems.

Professor Moran will contribute insight into the relationship between antimicrobial use and resistance in animals, and the impact of antimicrobial drug interventions on livestock health and production.

"Our goal as an advisory group is to develop a picture of the economic benefits to investing in control interventions against antimicrobial resistance. This information will likely show that the world needs to be investing more in control measures, such as steady and reliable funding for policy and research plans identifying actions to tackle AMR around the world, as many are currently under-funded."

Professor Dominic Moran, The Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems

The group of 20 experts including health and environmental economists, public health professionals, and veterinarians, will focus on refining the estimate of the global cost of antimicrobial resistance and the costs of developing national action plans that define priority interventions and country-specific policies. By calculating the economic benefits of tackling antimicrobial resistance through targeted actions, the group aims to provide vital insights to global leaders and policymakers, facilitating better-informed decisions.

Experts say that as the world faces the mounting challenges of antimicrobial resistance, it is important to understand its economic implications and compare it to other pressing global concerns. The Quadripartite Technical Group’s efforts are further reinforced by the support of the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on antimicrobial resistance.



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