Researchers tackling the pernicious issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are set for an almost £40m funding boost to support earlier development of new antibiotics, vaccines and diagnostics.
Part of the investment, which is is coming from the government’s Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF), will work to strengthen the UK’s ties with CARB-X, with up to £24m over the next four years going to the global research initiative.
As well as this, the government’s GAMRIF is funnelling £5m of fresh funding over the next two years into the Global Antibiotic R&D Partnership, which will work to ensure the world has access to new antibiotics.
A further £10m collaboration with Canada’s International Development Research Centre will also look to tackle AMR, focusing specifically on solutions that arrest the growing problem of AMR in animals.
The news comes alongside health minister Will Quince attending the World Health Assembly in Switzerland, where he will announce the UK’s Global Health Framework for 2023-25.
Delighted to co-host this year's antimicrobial resistance breakfast at #WHA76 with 🇸🇪
— Will Quince MP 🇬🇧 (@willquince) May 22, 2023
AMR costs around 1.2 million lives a year across the world, which is why 🇬🇧 is investing £39 million into research, which will help tackle this silent pandemic. pic.twitter.com/OcptD3XMbd
The main drivers behind the framework include:
- Improving global health security by enhancing preparedness and thus response to future pandemics, AMR threats and climate change;
- Revamping global health infrastructure to support clearer and better governance and collaboration across the world;
- Bolstering singular country health systems to stop the preventable deaths of mothers, babies and children in the world’s most deprived nations;
- Advancing UK leadership in science and technology.
Will Quince: “This funding will provide a much-needed boost to protect people from diseases such as drug-resistant gonorrhoea, life-threatening sepsis in newborn babies and serious bacterial infections.
“The UK is placing ourselves at the centre of the global health agenda and it’s fantastic to be in Geneva at the World Health Assembly to reinforce our commitment to improving health globally and building resilience against future health threats through our new Global Health Framework.”
