By the bioMérieux Connection Editors
In mid-January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released an updated version of its Antibiotic Resistance Map, which illustrates the CDC’s efforts both within the U.S. and abroad to help local health officials battle resistance, primarily through the use of diagnostic tools to speed the detection of emergent resistant infections.
The AR Investment Map showcases CDC’s critical activities in the U.S. and abroad to combat antibiotic resistance with investments in laboratory, epidemiological expertise, and public health innovation. The updated map includes the agency’s efforts in fiscal year 2018 to protect people from antibiotic resistance.
The updated CDC AR Investment Map includes the following:
- Details on U.S. and global initiatives to help local public health officials rapidly identify AR infections and take steps to mitigate their spread
- Dozens of success stories where early detection helped to contain serious resistant infections
- Fact-sheets for these U.S. and global initiatives providing specific details so that others can develop and implement these best practices
According to the CDC, “High levels of antibiotic-resistant germs are in all countries and regions of the world. Early and aggressive action at the source can keep germs with unusual resistance from spreading and protect the health and security of the United States. In addition to the work with partners shown (in the AR Maps), CDC staff are leveraging expertise gained from work domestically to collaborate with global partners on pilot projects to combat tuberculosis in China and Vietnam and on outbreak responses of resistant germs around the world.”
As we reported in September, bioMérieux is one of the CDC’s global partners in this broader initiative, called the AMR Challenge. With the leadership of the CDC, the United States government launched this initiative to bolster efforts across various sectors and around the world to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The goal is to inform and educate the general public about the dangers of AMR and to coordinate stakeholders to take meaningful action against it.
Organizations and companies around the country and the world are making commitments to participate in the challenge in five key areas: antibiotic use, environment and sanitation, infection prevention and control, tracking and data, and vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
As a partner in this public-private initiative to battle AMR, bioMérieux joined the AMR Challenge with three commitments:
- Innovative diagnostics: In 2018, approximately 75% of bioMérieux’s clinical R&D budget is dedicated to develop effective diagnostics that support the fight against AMR.
- International surveys: bioMérieux is the sole sponsor of the Global Point Prevalence Survey (GLOBAL-PPS), the first global initiative providing a unique overview of the global burden of antibiotic use and resistance rates in hospitals worldwide.
- Public-private partnerships: Among several public-private partnerships, bioMérieux is part of COMBACTE (COMbatting BACTerial resistance in Europe), a unique research consortium aiming at boosting research and innovation against AMR within the framework of Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI).
Opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of bioMérieux, Inc.
