Governments and policymakers, in collaboration with national pharmacy organisations, must regulate and monitor the consumption of antimicrobials, routes of access and data availability in humans and animals, FIP has said in a new statement of policy on mitigating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) issued today. The statement lists recommendations such as streamlining the registration of new antimicrobials, offering economic incentives for their development and enabling pharmacists to produce essential antibiotics during shortages.

“This new policy replaces one published by FIP in 2017. It makes a strong call on pharmacists to embrace leadership roles in mitigating AMR and advancing antimicrobial stewardship. Pharmacists are also urged to encourage competent authorities to involve them in national and local immunisation programmes, especially for vulnerable populations, to help reduce the need to use antibiotics,” said Manjiri Gharat, FIP vice president and co-chair of the FIP commission on AMR. “In addition, the statement calls on pharmacists to encourage the use of point-of-care diagnostic tools to screen for early signs of infectious diseases, as well as to advocate for an environmentally conscious approach and the application of green pharmacy principles throughout the lifecycle of antibiotics,” Ms Gharat said.

The policy also outlines commitments by FIP, including supporting scientific research and evidence-based information to advance knowledge on the effective, safe and responsible use of antimicrobials in communities and other healthcare settings.