July 7, 2022

Anti-microbial resistance and the PID perspective discussed at the 20th PID Forum

On 17 May IPOPI held its 20th PID Forum on Anti-microbial resistance and the PID perspective with the virtual chairmanship of MEP Juocas Olekas (S&D, Lithiania) and MEP Sarah Wiener (Greens/EFA, Austria). The event was moderated by Mr Johan Prevot, IPOPI Executive Director, and Ms Martine Pergent, IPOPI President.

Speakers of this Forum had very different backgrounds, with the aim of enriching the discussions and bringing their various expertise on the topic. Mr Davide Catena, a patient living with a PID, provided his first-hand experience with antibiotics for the treatment of a specific infection or as a prophylaxis in addition to his immunoglobulin replacement therapy. Dr Nizar Malhaoui, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital (France) and IPOPI Chair of the Medical Advisory Panel, provided a medical presentation explaining the use of antibiotic therapies in the treatment of PIDs. Ms Kristine Peers, representative of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), shared her perspective of the pharmaceutical sector, describing how prevalent antimicrobial resistance is and the efforts undertaken by the industry to address it. Dr Dominique Monnet, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), described the burden of infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, demonstrating how significant it is, as well as the main actions being taken to prevent and control AMR.

During the event, participants analysed the challenges anti-microbial resistance (AMR) poses for primary immunodeficiency (PID) patients. Participants were informed about the recent developments the EU has undertaken when it comes to AMR and the impact these actions have on PID patients. The aim was to explain how AMR affects PID patients, encourage policymakers to consider vulnerable populations in their work and support research and development on antibiotic research to ensure there are medicines available for the patients that need them.

IPOPI would like to thank all participants for their active and enriching contributions, as well as thank the policy makers for the support given to patients with PIDs.

For more information on the event, please check IPOPI’s website.