The European Commission aims to set concrete objectives and activities to strengthen Member States’ action against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in the area of public health. It has opened a ‘call for evidence’ to help support the development of a proposal for a Council Recommendation on AMR, expected later this year.
Where the focus of this initiative is mainly on antimicrobials in pharmaceuticals, i.e., the use of antibiotics for human and animal healthcare, it also references “suboptimal hygiene practices in healthcare settings”. To that extent, MCEC members contribute by manufacturing products that can be used in a vast range of applications to tackle the global burden of health care associated infection (HCAI).
MCEC fully understands the need to avoid any form of misuse of products or practices that may lead to the exacerbation of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). As such, our members support the adoption of measures and good practices aimed at preventing and controlling infections in full compliance with the requirements in the current regulatory framework.
Biocidal compounds, when deployed appropriately, used as intended, and as per instructions, are an important line of defence against infection or uncontrolled microbial proliferation and thus a means of limiting antibiotic use. Therefore, they also play an essential role to combat the AMR threat.
More on our contribution here.