The Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (SANTE) of the European Commission and the European Journalism Centre (EJC) invite 30 expert journalists in the field of health to the seminar “Antimicrobial Resistance” in Brussels on 16-17 November, which will coincide with the EU launch of the European Antibiotics Awareness Day.
Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) is an important global economic and a societal challenge, of a scale and complexity comparable to climate change, which cannot be tackled by countries or public administrations alone: it requires a strong partnership where the EU needs to play a decisive role.
Antibiotics have dramatically reduced the number of deaths from infectious diseases during the 70 years since their introduction. However, through overuse and misuse, many micro-organisms have become resistant to them. In the first decade of this millennium alone global consumption of antibiotics in human medicine rose by nearly 40%. Today, there are 25.000 deaths attributable to AMR every year in the EU, with an estimated cost of EUR 1.5 billion due to loss of productivity and increased healthcare costs.
This workshop will feature panel discussions as well as on and off the record talks with senior representatives of the European Commission and other international organisations and agencies.
Journalists will also have the possibility to exchange views with Health and Food Safety Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis on the Commission’s priorities in the area of health.
This event is exclusively catered for specialist and expert journalists in the field of health.
If you are interested in participating, please contact Elise Rochez as soon as possible at rochez@ejc.net, inserting a few lines on your motivation and, if possible, including links to articles you may have written on the subject. We will inform you shortly thereafter if your invitation is confirmed.
The organisers will cover flight, accommodation and most meals.