Finding Innovative Solutions for Tackling Infectious Diseases
In the 2018 COMBACTE magazine edition we interview Robert-Jan Smits, at the time the Director General of Research & Innovation at the European Commission. We got Mr. Smits' insights into the European Commission's commitment in boosting research and innovation against antimicrobial resistance.
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The European Commission is strongly committed to boosting research and innovation.
Robert-Jan Smits
"As we know the health threat posed by antimicrobial resistance has repercussions not just within the EU but also beyond, and if unchecked will soon reach crisis proportions. This is why in 2011 the European Commission launched an action plan inspired by the One Health initiative.
Plans without action are not much good – and so I am especially impressed by the progress being made by COMBACTE as part of the Innovative Medicines Initiative’s (IMI) New Drugs for Bad Bugs program.
It’s a major achievement to bring together hospitals and laboratories in several European countries to lay a strong foundation on which Europe can build a network for performing high quality clinical trials. And I am sure that by working together with the pharmaceutical industry COMBACTE will help transform Europe’s capacity and readiness to develop new antibiotics.
The 2011 action plan succeeded in stimulating political commitment and action within Member States as well as fostering international cooperation, but more needed to be done. So in June 2017, building on these successes, the Commission launched a new European One Health Action Plan against AMR to tackle this growing challenge.
And in October 2017 the Commission launched the Work Program for Horizon 2020, covering the budgetary years 2018 to 2020 and representing an investment of around €30 billion. A significant part of this investment will be dedicated towards finding innovative solutions for tackling infectious diseases. Because in this and related areas the Commission is strongly committed to boosting research and innovation.”
Robert-Jan Smits
Director-General
Research & Innovation
European Commission
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