Brussels, 3 March 2022
Health First Europe (HFE) together with the members of the European Patient Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR Patient Group) are delighted to announce the creation of a new group of Members of the European Parliament (MEP) who have agreed to become the new MEP Ambassadors of the AMR Patient Group.
Health First Europe and the AMR Patient Group representatives are committed to raising awareness about the real-world impact of antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) that have become a bane for public health and lives. This will ultimately empower patients across Europe with the necessary knowledge about AMR so that everyone understands when it is appropriate to take antibiotics and how to take them responsibly, by addressing the gap in awareness at the patient-level about the danger of antibiotic misuse and the lack of effective infection prevention measures.
We welcome MEPs Manuela RIPA (Greens/EFA, Germany); Brando BENIFEI (S&D, Italy); Tilly METZ (Greens/EFA, Luxembourg); Cyrus ENGERER (S&D, Malta); Piernicola PEDICINI (Greens/EFA, Italy); Sirpa PIETIKÄINEN (EPP, Finland); Tomislav SOKOL (EPP, Croatia); Sara CERDAS (S&D, Portugal); Nicolás GONZÁLEZ CASARES (S&D, Spain); Jessica POLFJÄRD (EPP, Sweden); István UJHELYI (S&D, Hungary); Frances FITZGERALD (EPP, Ireland); Pernille WEISS (EPP, Denmark); Susana SOLÍS PÉREZ (Renew Europe, Spain); Ondřej KNOTEK (Renew Europe, Czechia); Dominique RIQUET (Renew Europe, France); Michèle RIVASI (Greens/EFA, France); and Emma WIESNER (Renew Europe, Sweden).
These MEPs were selected based on their advocacy and active participation in the legislative chamber on matters of health. In furtherance of our objectives, the MEP Ambassadors of the AMR Patient Group will help champion our initiatives in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, sustain political interest and mobilise change by calling for more investment in key areas, such as in the field of education, prevention, and investment, among others.
There is a salient need for action on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) because it is, currently, one of the most serious threats to public health globally. It is responsible for an estimated 33,000 deaths per year in the EU and is estimated to cost the EU €1.5 billion annually in healthcare costs and productivity losses.
The members of the AMR Patient group are delighted to officially welcome the new Members of the European Parliament as MEP Ambassadors of the AMR Patient Group and look forward to future collaboration with a view to prevent healthcare-associated infections and the related development of AMR throughout the patient journey.
For more information on the Health First Europe AMR Patient Group, please contact Ms. Laura Cigolot at [email protected]