Food Standards Agency
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FSA Chief Scientific Adviser outlines the challenges of Antimicrobial Resistance
Professor Guy Poppy, the FSA’s Chief Scientific Adviser, published the latest edition of his Science Report yesterday. It examines the science behind antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, and presents the latest findings around the role that food plays in the problem.
The report is published as the President of the UN General Assembly convenes a one-day high-level meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York to discuss AMR.
Professor Poppy says: 'Antimicrobial resistance means that it’s harder, or impossible, to treat an increasing range of infections. It has been estimated that by 2050 it could be causing the deaths of 10 million people a year across the world, not to mention 100 trillion US dollars in cumulative lost economic output.
'The FSA works to protect consumer interests in relation to food, so the role that food plays in the problem of antimicrobial resistance is of concern. While the problem cannot be eliminated, its development can be slowed. We need a holistic approach throughout the food supply chain, and to understand how a whole range of practices, such as how we care for farm animals, handle food or irrigate crops, might affect the spread of antimicrobial resistance to our food, and ultimately to us.'
Read the Chief Scientific Adviser's report here:
FSA Chief Scientific Adviser's report on AMR (946.20 KB)
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