16 PRUDENT USE OF ANTIMICROBIAL
AGENTS
(27193)
5427/06
COM(05) 684
+ ADD 1
| Commission report on the implementation of the Council recommendation
(2002/77/EC) on the prudent use of antimicrobial agents in human medicine
Commission staff working document: detailed analysis of Member States'
reports on the implementation of the recommendation
|
| Legal base | —
|
| Document originated | 22 December 2005
|
| Deposited in Parliament |
18 January 2006 |
| Department | Health |
| Basis of consideration |
EM of 30 January 2006 |
| Previous Committee Report |
None |
| To be discussed in Council
| No date set |
| Committee's assessment | Politically important
|
| Committee's decision | Cleared
|
Background
16.1 In 2002 the Council adopted a Recommendation on the prudent
use of antimicrobial agents in human medicine.[29]
For the purposes of the Recommendation, "antimicrobial agent"
means a natural or synthetic substance used to kill or inhibit
the growth of micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungae
and parasites. Antibiotics are, for example, an antimicrobial
agent.
16.2 The Recommendation was addressed to Member States
and the Commission. It recommended that Member States should have
national strategies on the prudent use of antimicrobials with
the aim of containing the increase of pathogens with resistance
to antimicrobial agents. The strategies should be based on the
best available scientific data and advice and should include measures
on surveillance, education, information, research, prevention
and control. Each Member State should have an "inter-sectoral
mechanism" (IM): that is a multi-disciplinary organisation
representing health authorities, research institutions, the health
professions and consumers.
16.3 The Recommendation said that the IM should:
- establish or strengthen systems for the surveillance
of the use of antimicrobial agents and of resistance to them;
- enforce control and preventive measures;
- reduce the need for the use of antimicrobials
by, for example, promoting hygiene standards in institutions and
encouraging immunisation programmes;
- promote education and training for health professionals
and the public; and
- encourage research related to antimicrobial resistance.
16.4 Article 152 of the EC Treaty provides for Community
action to complement national policies to improve public health
and prevent human illness.
The document
16.5 The Commission's report is based on the replies
Member States and EEA countries gave to a questionnaire about
the action they have taken to implement the Recommendation. More
detailed information and analysis is given in the staff working
document, ADD 1.
16.6 The report summarises the situation in each
country which replied. It says, for example, that:
- 16 Member States already have national strategies
and 10 countries are preparing them;
- 23 countries have IMs but there are wide variations
in their powers;
- in 18 countries, the IM is coordinating work
on antimicrobial surveillance;
- the majority of countries coordinate national
action to improve prescribing practices;
- most countries have national guidelines on the
appropriate use of antimicrobials for infections such as otitis
media, sinusitis, urinary tract infections, and meningitis; and
- 22 countries have national programmes for hospital
hygiene and infection control.
16.7 In the light of the replies to the questionnaire,
the Commission concludes that action is needed to fill gaps in
the implementation of the Recommendation. For example, the Commission
calls on all Member States and EEA countries to:
- develop national strategies and action plans;
- ensure that IMs have the appropriate functions,
powers and money;
- widen surveillance to include the collection
and analysis of data on antivirals and antiparasitic agents as
well as antibacterials;
- foster cooperation between the human and animal
health sectors; and
- enforce prescription-only use of systemic antimicrobials
and antibiotics.
The Government's view
16.8 The Minister of State at the Department of Health
(Jane Kennedy) tells us that the Commission's report has no significant
policy implications for the UK. It confirms the importance of
the work being done in the UK to tackle antimicrobial resistance.
The Government is keen to contribute to the implementation of
the Recommendation in all Member States.
Conclusion
16.9 It appears from the Commission's analysis
of the replies to its questionnaire that the UK is among the countries
which have done most to implement the Regulation. We agree with
the Minister that it is important that all countries, within the
EC and elsewhere, should take action to foster the prudent use
of antimicrobial agents and so reduce the risk of infections becoming
resistant to them.
16.10 Although we see no need to keep the document
under scrutiny, we draw it to the attention of the House because
of the interest of the information it contains.
29 Council Recommendation 2002/77/EC. The previous
Committee reported on a draft of the Recommendation: see (22522)
10361/01: HC 152-ii (2001-02), para 37 (17 October 2001). Back
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