Combating Antimicrobial Resistance: The Order and the FVE Are in the Running for the European Union’s “Health” Award

The European Commission has shortlisted eight nominees for the 2016 “Health” Award*, including the National Council of the Veterinary Order (CNOV) and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE). The eight shortlisted nongovernmental organizations are all committed to combating antimicrobial resistance in both human medicine and veterinary medicine. The winning NGO and the two runners-up will receive awards and will have the opportunity to promote their initiatives through the EU Health Policy Platform.   This year, the European Union’s “Health” Award will recognize best practices and initiatives by international, European, national, or regional nongovernmental organizations that help reduce the threat to public health posed by antimicrobial resistance. In fact, every year, infections with antibiotic resistance cause some 25,000 deaths and cost 1.5 billion euros in healthcare expenses and lost productivity within the EU. The Order’s** nomination aims to raise awareness within the EU of the actions taken in France by the veterinary profession and the Ministry of Agriculture to combat antimicrobial resistance, within the framework of the “One Health” concept. For example, the EcoAntibio plan coordinates and builds bridges between human health professionals and veterinarians to reduce the risks associated with the use of antibiotics in animals. It calls for a 25% reduction in the use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine over five years , and a 25% reduction in the use of critically important antibiotics to treat animals over three years. For its part, the FVE*** highlights its multi-year strategy and its efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance in animals to reduce the risk of humans coming into contact with resistant strains. It advocates for the implementation of best practices for reduced and responsible antibiotic use among professionals and the general public and reports the first signs of a real decline in antimicrobial resistance in the animal health sector. The six other nominees are:

• Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics: Its goal is to cut antibiotic use in livestock farming in the European Union by half by 2020 and by 80% by 2050. The alliance calls for an end to routine prophylaxis in herds, a ban on the preventive use of critically important antibiotics, and a ban on group treatments with these drugs. It advocates for a shift in livestock farming systems toward practices that strengthen animals’ natural immunity through higher animal welfare standards.
• The European Consumer Organisation: BEUC advocates for the adoption of better regulations to govern the use of antimicrobials in both veterinary and human medicine.
• Health Care Without Harm Europe: HCWH Europe has long worked to reduce the environmental impact of pharmaceutical residues. It contributed to the implementation of the new EU regulation on pharmacovigilance.
• Patients’ Organizations “Together with You”: These organizations advocate for responsible use of antibiotics in children. Their goal is to establish a national program for the appropriate use of antibiotics in Bulgaria, with the help of experts in the field of antimicrobial resistance.
• Stichting Huize Aarde: The activities of the Dutch foundation Home Earth focus on the design and implementation of new concepts, such as the Green Healthcare Program and its projects Meduwa (which aims to quantify the spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria in the water cycle) and SOSPharmaH (which aims to reduce the discharge by patients of pharmaceutical substances such as antibiotics and multidrug-resistant bacteria and viruses).
• World Alliance Against Antibiotic Resistance: The WAAAR relies on intensive lobbying and raising awareness among all stakeholders, as well as pressuring authorities to take appropriate measures to limit the increase and spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens. Beyond antibiotic resistance, its initiative also covers Ebola prevention and the protection provided by antimicrobials in the context of HIV/AIDS.

Brussels is expected to announce the date of the award ceremony soon, at which the name of the winning organization will be revealed. The first prize is €20,000, the second €15,000, and the third €10,000.   * http://ec.europa.eu/health/ngo_award/initiatives/index_en.htm ** http://ec.europa.eu/health/ngo_award/doc/summary_report_veterinaire_en.pdf *** http://ec.europa.eu/health/ngo_award/doc/summary_report_fve_en.pdf