The world is losing its most powerful tool in healthcare: antibiotics. The reason is rapidly rising antibiotic-resistant infections – also called antimicrobial resistance, or AMR. The world needs new antibiotics to stem the toll superbugs are having on patients, but there are few in the pipeline. This is the result of a long-standing paradox: despite the huge societal costs of AMR, there is currently no viable market for new antibiotics. In the long run, the uncontrolled rise of AMR could have public health and economic consequences greater than COVID-19. But unlike COVID-19, AMR is a predictable and preventable crisis – we must take action now.

On 9 July, a groundbreaking new initiative on AMR was unveiled.

Introducing the new initiative - Bridging the gap between science and patients
- The problem, complication, and solution: Thomas Cueni, Director General, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA)
- The pharmaceutical industry investors:
o Hubertus von Baumbach, Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors, Boehringer Ingelheim
o Messages from: Emma Walmsley CEO GSK, Deborah Dunsire, President & CEO Lundbeck, Vas Narasimhan, CEO Novartis, Severin Schwan CEO Roche Group

The AMR public health challenge: Dame Sally Davies, UK Special Envoy on antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

Public health response to the initiative
- Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization
- Werner Hoyer, President, European Investment Bank
- Jeremy Farrar, Director, Wellcome Trust

PANEL: The inventor, investment and partnerships to bridge the gap
- Tiemo Wölken, MEP S&D German, vice-chair of European Parliament MEP Interest Group on AMR
- Florence Séjourné, CEO, Da Volterra and President BEAM Alliance
- Paul Stoffels, Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson & member of the IMI Governing Board
- Kasim Kutay, CEO, Novo Holdings
- Stefan Oelrich, CEO Bayer Pharmaceuticals

PANEL: The world urgently needs new antibiotics – politics, leadership and public health

Health Ministers and the need for antibiotics innovation to tackle AMR
- Jens Spahn, Federal Minister of Health, Germany
- Magnus Heunicke, Minister of Health, Denmark
Joined by
- Agnès Pannier-Runacher Secretary of State for Economy and Finance, France
- Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety
- Stefan Oschmann, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck
- Nathalie Moll, Director General, EFPIA
What’s in a name: launching the new initiative - Director General, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA)

More about IFPMA:
IFPMA represents the research-based pharmaceutical companies and associations across the globe. The research-based pharmaceutical industry’s 2 million employees discover, develop, and deliver medicines and vaccines that improve the life of patients worldwide. Based in Geneva, IFPMA has official relations with the United Nations and contributes industry expertise to help the global health community find solutions that improve global health.

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