Author: Anders Bjers

Workshop Report – Interventions to Reduce the Development and Transmission of AMR

Anders BjersNews and press

We are happy to share the report of the recent online workshop entitled “Interventions to Reduce the Development and Transmission of AMR”. The workshop was hosted by The French National Research Agency (ANR), in close colla

We are happy to share the report of the recent online workshop hosted by The French National Research Agency (ANR).

We are happy to share the report of the recent online workshop entitled “Interventions to Reduce the Development and Transmission of AMR”. The workshop was hosted by The French National Research Agency (ANR), in close collaboration with JPIAMR. Please find the full report here.

Public Report: Antimicrobial Resistance Survey

Anders BjersNews and press

A rapport is now available on the survey about collections of biological material, databases and services relevant for AMR research that was performed earlier this year by ZonMw, on behalf of JPIAMR and VALUE-Dx.

ZonMw (the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development) performed, on behalf of JPIAMR and the recently started consortium VALUE-Dx, a survey on resources (collections of biological material and databases) that are relevant for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) research. In parallel information was collected about services that are provided by research infrastructures and some biobanks.

It is with pleasure that we now share the public report on the survey set out to create an overview of resources and services related to antimicrobial resistance research. Read report. 

The results are also presented in a series of dashboard that can be used by the entire AMR research community. Read more.

Another survey will be set out to collect more detailed information about individual resources and services, and to address issues related to their findability, reuse, sustainability, and quality. For the next survey we strive to use a machine-readable metadata scheme, ensuring that the input is documented according to a standardised & community-agreed description, is interoperable, and remains up-to-date!

Contact: jpiamr@zonmw.nl (please use heading ‘AMR survey’)

New Dashboard on AMR Resources and Services

Anders BjersNews and press

JPIAMR is launching interactive dashboards to provide an overview of AMR specific collections of biological materials, databases and research infrastructure services.

JPIAMR, in collaboration with the IMI-consortium VALUE-Dx, has collected information through a survey on existing resources and services that are relevant for AMR research from all the One Health domains: human, animal and environment. JPIAMR has now translated this overview into interactive dashboards. This will contribute to improving findability, reusability and sustainability of resources and services for the AMR research community.

Read more and visit the dashboards.

Live webinar – GARDP and JPIAMR collaboration

Anders BjersNews and press

GARDP is organising a live webinar on October 8th on the topic “Exploring safety issues in antimicrobial drug development”.

GARDP is organising a live webinar on October 8th: Exploring safety issues in antimicrobial drug development.

This webinar was developed in collaboration with CARB-X, JPIAMR, REPAIR Impact Fund, Wellcome Trust, ASM and ESCMID. It is part of the ‘Antibiotic Bootcamps for Developers’ series which have been developed by GARDP and its partners at the ‘ASM/ESCMID Conference on Drug Development to Meet the Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance’ since 2017. As this years’ conference could not be held, the content was developed under the umbrella of the REVIVE webinar series.

Read more and register.

Call open to viral-bacterial co-infection Networks!

Anders BjersNews and press

Networks working on AMR in the context of viral-bacterial co-infections, including those working with Covid-19, are eligible to apply for the call.

The intent of the call “JPIAMR Network Plus 2020” is to support networks to design and implement ways to support AMR research considering at least one of the six strategic areas of the JPIAMR Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda: Therapeutics, Diagnostics, Surveillance, Transmission, Environment and Interventions. Networks should develop and implement activities focusing on AMR within the domains of Human health, Animal health and the Environment. Networks working on AMR in the context of viral-bacterial co-infections, including those working with Covid-19, are eligible to apply for the call.

The tenth JPIAMR joint call for transnational networks is in partnership with seven JPIAMR member countries; Canada, France, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Spain, and Sweden. The deadline for submission of applications is May 28th, 17.00 CET. Read more here.

Winners of Hacking AMR 2019

Anders BjersNews and press, VRI

The grand prize in the Hacking AMR 2019 event that was arranged in Stockholm, Sweden, 13-15 December was won by team ‘Mission Prescription’. The winning project presented an idea to support doctors in their prescribing behaviours by providing them with a tool to monitor their own prescribing in relation to the rest of the medical community. This type of intervention has the goal to reduce incorrect use of antibiotics.

The members in team ‘Mission Prescription’ were, from back row, left to right, in picture above: David Barber, Family Physician and researcher, Queen’s University, Canada; Lennard Epping, PhD student, Robert Koch Institute, Germany; David Hinrichs, Data scientist, Robert Koch Institute, Germany; Sabrina Wong, Health researcher and nurse, Canada; Vendela Wiener, Public Health Agency of Sweden; Sumeet Tiwari, PhD student, Robert Koch Institute, Germany. Missing in picture is Ewan Gray, Researcher, University of Edinburgh, UK.

The People’s choice award and Honourable Mention went to team ‘The Waiting Game’ who developed the concept for a game that can be played while a patient is in a doctor’s waiting room. The goal of the game is to educate the patient on AMR, limiting requests for unnecessary antibiotics.

The aim of the Hacking AMR 2019 hackathon was to bring together scientists, designers, patients, developers, innovators, students and entrepreneurs to collaborate, dream up & create solutions to real-world problems to improve human, animal and environmental health and wellbeing with regards to Antimicrobial Resistance. During the hackathon 40 participants formed seven different teams and worked on diverse digital solutions to AMR.

Royalty free photos by Eva Garmendia.

Hacking AMR 2019 is a Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance – Virtual Research Institute (JPIAMR-VRI) activity organised by the Swedish Research Council, Institute of Infection and Immunity (III) of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Research Council of Norway, Uppsala Antibiotic Center (UAC), and the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Medical School. Hacking Health Foundation were consultants for Hacking AMR 2019.

Showreel about the workshop

Design contest for first global Antibiotic Resistance Symbol

Anders BjersNews and press

A design contest to find the first global Antibiotic Resistance symbol has been launched today by the European Union Joint Action on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-Associated Infections (EU-JAMRAI). The contest is not about creating another logo, it should be something tangible that can be crafted by anyone and worn by everyone; like the AIDS ribbon. Be a changemaker and take part in the contest or encourage the public to participate!

Read more on the contest at the EU-JAMRAI website (link, opens in a new window)

Read the EU-JAMRAI press release (pdf, opens in a new window)

New AMR surveillance data and survey results from ECDC

Anders BjersNews and press

On the occasion of the European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2019 the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is today publishing its annual update on antibiotic resistance and antibiotic consumption surveillance data from EU/EEA countries. ECDC is today also releasing the results of a survey on healthcare workers’ perceptions of antibiotics. Read more below on the new reports:

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Europe 2018
The results presented in this report are based on antimicrobial resistance data from invasive isolates reported to the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net) by EU/EEA countries. EARS-Net is the main EU surveillance system for antimicrobial resistance in bacteria that cause serious infections. Data reported from the network serve as important indicators on the occurrence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in Europe.
Find the full report on the ECDC website.

Antimicrobial consumption – Annual Epidemiological Report for 2018
The results presented in this report are based on antimicrobial consumption data from the community and hospital sector, reported to the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network (ESAC-Net) by EU/EEA countries. The collected data are used to provide timely information and feedback on indicators of antimicrobial consumption. These indicators provide a basis for monitoring the progress in Europe towards prudent use of antimicrobials.
Find the full report on the ECDC website.

Survey of healthcare workers’ knowledge and attitudes about antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in EU/EEA
This survey is the first multi-country and multi-professional study that provides an evidence base on the knowledge and perceptions of healthcare workers across EU/EEA countries. Understanding the magnitude of some these drivers on healthcare workers’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours is critical in implementing and developing interventions to preserve antibiotic effectiveness. The survey findings are a base to support strategies for policy development, education and communications campaigns targeting healthcare workers on antibiotic resistance in Europe.
Find the full survey on the ECDC website.

JPIAMR in first SEDRIC Global Meeting

Anders BjersNews and press

JPIAMR participated in the first SEDRIC Global Meeting on the 9th of October 2019 in London. The title of the meeting was ‘Mobilising epidemiology and surveillance data to inform patient care pathways”. JPIAMRs Laura Marin was one of the panellists on the ‘International Activities’ session. The session was a roundtable discussion on the topic ‘mobilising surveillance and epidemiology data to inform patient care pathways’. The panel also had participants from WHO, CDC and Fleming Fund on international AMR surveillance efforts.

JPIAMR supports ten networks in the area of one health surveillance.

AMR top priority in European Council Conclusions

Anders BjersNews and press

We want to highlight this summers EU Council Conclusions (through the EU Ministers of Health) that reaffirms the challenge of AMR as a top priority for the EU. The Conclusions indicate that EU Member States should be supported in their efforts to combat AMR, but they also need to do more at national level. The Council agrees that the European Commission and EU Member States should further support JPIAMR efforts:

“The Council notes with great concern the market failure in antibiotic development and underlines the need for urgent action to stimulate the development of new antimicrobials, alternative therapies and rapid and modern diagnostics, including methods for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. EU and global coordination and cooperation on research programmes and incentives are needed, and the Council recognises, inter alia, the proposals and activities of the ‘Antimicrobial Resistance Review team’, the ‘Breaking Through the Wall’ report and the ‘Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance’.” (see p.8)

“Calls upon Member States and the Commission to: Boost research, development and innovation related to AMR, and support EU and global coordination and cooperation including activities through the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance and the Global AMR R&D Hub. (see p. 12)”

Please find the full Conclusions here.