Novel materials and methods for the detection, traceable monitoring and evaluation of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections. Driven by the misuse of antimicrobial drugs, a key and achievable goal in the fight against antimicrobial resistance is the advancement of clinical test methods to enable doctors to determine the correct antimicrobial therapy to use. Reproducible, accurate and specific diagnostic test methods has enabled a coordinated global approach which targets existing treatments effectively and supports the rollout of emerging antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs. This project developed the metrology needed to reliably evaluate new and existing clinical test methods used in the detection and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance, including reference materials for calibrating instruments and test systems. In addition, validated methods also enabled laboratories to benchmark their procedures, ensuring high accuracy, comparable measurements across Europe. Achieving these objectives increased the efficacy of clinical testing, allowing clinicians to better target existing and novel treatments and mitigating the key driver of antimicrobial resistance.