The strategic foundation of the EUP OHAMR is outlined in the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). It sets out the objectives of the partnership, the intervention logic, expected outcomes and the research priorities across One Health.
The One Health approach will focus on better understanding how the use of antimicrobials in different sectors, and the spread of resistant microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites) and resistance determinants in and/or between humans, animals, plants and the environment, contribute to drug-resistant infections in humans and the health consequences, and which interventions are effective to curb AMR.
The EUP OHAMR SRIA was developed by the Coordination and Support Action DESIGN OH AMR, in close collaboration with the JPIAMR Scientific Advisory Board and other experts, the JPIAMR member states, countries who expressed their interest to join the EUP OHAMR, and other stakeholders.
A first draft was published in May 2023 and the current updated version was published in September 2024.
Thematic areas
The SRIA outlines the scientific priorities under five thematic areas:
- Diagnostics: to develop and improve diagnostics to support the use of antimicrobials and alternatives to antimicrobials
- Therapeutics: to discover new therapeutic targets, develop new antimicrobial agents and therapeutic alternatives, and improve existing antimicrobials and treatment regimens
- Interventions: to develop innovative approaches to prevent and mitigate the emergence and spread of AMR, across the One Health spectrum
- Transmission and Evolution: to understand and prevent the transmission and evolution of AMR in a One Health context
- Surveillance: to optimise surveillance systems and monitoring tools and methods to understand the drivers and burden of AMR in a One Health context and support decision-making at all levels
The thematic areas cover the One Health dimensions of AMR. These are combined with four cross-cutting themes to recognise the need for a collaborative and holistic efforts across multiple disciplines to tackle AMR:
- the role of socio-economic factors in the emergence and spread of AMR;
- the importance to translate research results into innovation;
- the role of implementation science to facilitate the translation and uptake of innovative solutions in real-world settings; and
- the global challenges posed by AMR.
The EUP OHAMR thematic areas and cross-cutting themes.
Focus areas
To guide the actions of the partnership in relation to the global challenge of AMR, three focus areas are prioritised:
- Prevent the emergence and spread of AMR, which highlights the need for an improved understanding of the biological and social mechanisms driving the emergence, evolution, and transmission of AMR. It will further address the need for development of innovative approaches to limit the discharge and accumulation of antimicrobials and resistant microorganisms or genetic elements in the environment, as well asdesigning and evaluating the effect of interventions to mitigate the emergence and spread of AMR.
- Strengthen appropriate use of antimicrobials and infection prevention and control, including development of social and technical tools and interventions that support the appropriate use of antimicrobials and effective infection prevention and control. It further aims to understand the economic, societal and technological considerations of the implementation of the tools and interventions.
- Provide innovative and cost-effective treatment options, where the rising rate of drug-resistant infections will be met with new antimicrobials, novel treatment protocols or alternative treatment strategies and efforts to improve the clinical efficacy of existing antimicrobials. This area will also address the barriers for access to antimicrobials as well as the effect of economic incentives and regulations on drug development and access.
Each focus area encompasses aspects of the thematic areas and cross-cutting themes described above to illustrate comprehensive, real-world challenges. To reduce the burden of AMR, these real-world challenges need to be met with fundamental, translational and implementation research as well as innovation to enable the development of products, policy and practice and maximise impact.
Relationships between the thematic areas and the focus areas.