BIO Applauds Declaration on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance

Washington, D.C. (January 21, 2016) – The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) applauds the Industry Declaration on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance, signed by 85 biopharmaceutical and diagnostic companies and released today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent public health issue, requiring comprehensive cooperation between all stakeholders, including governments, industry and healthcare providers to properly address,” said BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood. “Today’s Declaration on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance underscores our industry’s commitment to reducing the development of antimicrobial resistance, investing in R&D of novel products to prevent, diagnose and treat resistant infections, as well as improving access to new and existing antibiotics and vaccines for all patients.

“We echo the Declaration’s call for governments and payers to create a sustainable and predictable market that supports innovation and investment in the development of new products to combat antimicrobial resistance while also maintaining safeguards for their appropriate use. To accomplish these critical goals, the value assigned to antibiotics, diagnostics, vaccines and other novel products addressing antimicrobial resistance should reflect the benefits they bring to society and the investment required for their creation. We welcome the Declaration’s call for value-based reimbursement models, as well as for proposals for new incentive models including those that could reduce the link between financial revenue and usage, such as lump sum payments, insurance-like purchase models, and effective intellectual property-based approaches. We stand ready to work with all stakeholders to ensure that the tremendous public health benefits of antibiotics continue to be available for future generations.” 

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