Text tabled : A7-0373/2012

  Charles Tannock (ECR), in writing. − Antibiotic resistance remains a major threat to public health around the world, and for the large part, the cause is misuse of antibiotics. It increases healthcare costs, causes people to stay in hospital for longer, results in treatment failures, and sometimes death. An estimated 25 000 people die each year in the EU from antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, so this own-initiative report is relevant after the recent Commission action plan against the rising threats from antimicrobial resistance. If it continues to rise it will threaten our ability to carry out what is now routine medical practice which relies on antimicrobials to protect patients from infection, for example in surgical prophylaxis. Due to the borderless nature of infectious diseases, it is therefore important that measures to limit the rising threat to human health from the use of antimicrobials are put in place across Europe. As a doctor, I understand that this problem cannot be resolved by one simple solution. A multifaceted approach is required that incorporates more prudent use of antimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine, by the development of alternatives for treatment and new antimicrobials and greater international cooperation.