AMR Experts Kick Off 2018 TATFAR Meeting
Posted On: March 7, 2018
Acting CDC Director Anne Schuchat was one of two keynote speakers at the 2018 TATFAR meeting. Photo Credit: Lauren Bishop, CDC
TATFAR members kicked off a two-day meeting in Atlanta today, convening to strengthen collaboration against growing resistance to life-saving antimicrobial drugs. The meeting includes government agency representatives from Canada, the European Union, Norway, and the United States, along with other leading experts on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Today and tomorrow, attendees from 13 nations will discuss common challenges in addressing AMR and how best to capitalize on partnerships to implement strategies that will help reduce this significant threat to public health. On Friday, TATFAR members will meet to discuss ongoing work identified in 2015 for continued collaboration through 2020.
The TATFAR Co-Chairs opened the meeting with welcoming remarks by:
- Larry Kerr, Director of Pandemics and Emerging Threats Office within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and
- John F. Ryan, Director for Public Health, Country Knowledge, Crisis Management within the European Commission.
The welcoming remarks were streamed live, as well as the remarks of two keynote speakers:
- Xavier Prats-Monné, Director General for Health and Food Safety within the European Commission, and
- Anne Schuchat, Acting CDC Director.
All four speakers touched on the challenges of AMR, and highlighted the progress TATFAR has made in addressing these challenges. They also emphasized the importance of this second in-person international gathering, and the opportunities it provides to create connections. AMR is not under the purview of one person or country—we have to work together.
TATFAR was created in 2009 to address the urgent threat of AMR. Collaboration across government agencies enhances synergy and communication, leading to strengthened domestic and global efforts. Today’s panels featured attendees from both sides of the Atlantic, boosting cross-country discussions and action from an international to local level on this serious public health issue.
Today the meeting covered topics including:
- maximizing partner engagement to motivate action on AMR;
- strategies to support local level action on AMR and government collaboration to implement National Action Plans;
- improving antibiotic use in human medicine through stewardship; and
- current methodologies for measuring antimicrobial consumption in animals by species.
As a result of TATFAR’s efforts at these meetings and throughout the year, there is an enhanced understanding of actions to combat AMR internationally and an increase in the exchange of scientific information.
Follow along on social media with #TATFAR. For more information about TATFAR, email TATFAR@cdc.gov.