Collaboration, policy, regulatory changes needed to fight antimicrobial resistance: Report

Industry is assisting the development of a positive future outlook in the fight against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). But more cross-sector collaborations, as well as policy and regulatory changes, are required, according to the third progress report of the AMR Industry Alliance released February 1, 2022.

The report also reflected on collective accomplishments in preventing the spread of AMR.

Its key findings were:

• There is continued funding in AMR from Alliance members, but investment levels are at risk.
• Incentives for research and development in antibiotics are critical for future investment.
• An overwhelming majority of Alliance members are active in access and appropriate use activities.
• There is growing commitment and action on responsible manufacturing.

The AMR Industry Alliance is a private-sector coalition working to tackle AMR, bringing together research and development pharmaceutical, generic, biotechnology and diagnostics companies together.

The Alliance’s contributions to combating AMR are reflected in the report’s wide range of AMR activities, which include: (A) Research and science (B) access (C) Appropriate use (D) Manufacturing, and the environment.

Read DTE’s coverage on antimicrobial resistance

Antibiotic manufacturing must always be done responsibly to reduce the environmental risks associated with antibiotic production and the risk of AMR.

The report noted that in order to mitigate these risks, Alliance manufacturing members had developed the Common Antibiotic Manufacturing Framework (CAMF) in 2018.

CAMF gives companies a methodology for conducting risk assessments and establishing minimum site requirements to meet environmental standards.

Members of the Alliance had also established science-based targets as predicted no-effect concentrations (PNEC), for treating water impacted by antibiotic production for about 120 different agents.

Antibiotic concentrations in PNECs are extremely low. These efforts demonstrate the commitment as well as the environmental responsibility of antibiotic manufacturers throughout the supply chain.

The following are some of the alliance’s manufacturing and environmental commitments:

• Review Alliance members’ manufacturing and supply chains to assess good practices in controlling the release of antibiotics into the environment.
• Establish a common framework for managing antibiotic discharge and start applying it across their own manufacturing and supply chains by 2018; continue to implement the framework in the following years to reduce environmental risk due to manufacturing discharges.
• Work with stakeholders to develop a practical mechanism to transparently show that Alliance members’ supply chains meet the framework’s standards.
• Work with independent technical experts to establish science-driven, risk-based targets for discharge concentrations of antibiotics, develop good-practice methods to reduce environmental impacts of manufacturing discharges by 2020 and work with Alliance members to ensure that discharge targets are met.

The CAMF had been assessed against the majority of manufacturing sites owned by Alliance members (85 per cent of sites). More than three quarters fully met the Framework requirements and nearly all meet them did so either fully or partially, according to the report.

The majority of products manufactured at Alliance member sites had been assessed against PNEC targets, with 87 per cent of assessed products meeting targets.

The report outlined the next steps in the AMR fight:

• Efforts to accelerate CAMF adoption and implementation across members’ supply chains.
• Collaboration with other organisations to develop international standards for antibiotic manufacturing.

This was in addition to continuing to share the efforts of Alliance-manufacturing members in implementing CAMF and PNECs across global supply chains.

This year’s Group of Seven health ministers communique recognised these efforts to spur industry action and move toward industry standards.

The report concluded by putting out considerations for policymaking bodies, regulatory agencies and international initiatives  to continue to drive environmentally responsible antibiotic manufacturing.

Subscribe to Daily Newsletter :

SUPPORT US

We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.