The American Journal of Public Health has published an article co-authored by Prof. Kathy Liddell (Director of LML) on governing global antimicrobial resistance.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is among the most urgent global health challenges of our time. AMR can develop with each use of an antimicrobial, regardless of the setting. Some microbes have already developed resistance to all known antimicrobials, meaning previously curable diseases have become untreatable. If immediate action is not taken, the effectiveness of these vital medicines will continue to diminish, further undermining modern medicine’s ability to treat infectious diseases and perform essential medical procedures.
The global COVID-19 pandemic prompted discussions about the need for an international pandemic treaty, presenting an opportunity to reflect on AMR as a pathway through which new cross-border health threats emerge. Using this as a springboard, ‘Governing Global Antimicrobial Resistance: 6 Key Lessons From the Paris Climate Agreement’ discusses how the Paris Agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change might provide lessons for advancing global action in this area. AMR lacks a global vehicle for building cooperation and would benefit from a Paris Agreement–style coordinating structure. Specifically, the Paris Agreement offers 6 key lessons relevant to managing global antimicrobial commons:
1) A collective global goal
2) A focus on social and economic transformation
3) Nationally determined contributions pledged, reviewed, and ratcheted every 5 years
4) An annual multistakeholder forum
5) Global scientific stock taking every 5 years
6) International Legal Framework
The full article is available here.