The current antibiotic innovation pipeline is broken. The last antibiotic class that was successfully introduced as a treatment was discovered back in 1987. As resistance grows, it is key to develop new tools and invest in research into new antibiotics and alternatives to avoid further spread of diseases and increased resistance.

Earlier this year, the pharmaceutical industry launched a US$1bn AMR Action Fund that aims to bring two to four novel antibiotics to the market by 2030. Still, many details of the Fund need to be disclosed and this initiative does not diminish the crucial need for public investment across the entire chain to address the market failures in antibiotic research and innovation.

Moreover, the awareness of the relationship between the use of antimicrobials and the development and spread of AMR is still low. The misuse and overuse of antibiotics has to end, alternative treatments and stewardships for healthcare professionals need to be offered and a focus should also be put on better access to rapid and affordable diagnostic tools.

The panelists discussed how can the development of new needs-driven models to finance and stimulate antibiotic R&D could be supported and how the EU could promote R&D models that ensure responsible use of and equitable and affordable access to antibiotics.