Today the work of the Codex Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TFAMR) was presented at the Second OIE Global Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance and Prudent Use of Antimicrobial Agents in Animals, which is taking place in Marrakesh, Morocco on 29-31 October 2018. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) is focusing on ‘putting standards into practice’ at this year’s meeting. Speaking in the session on Surveillance and Monitoring towards Effective Management of Antimicrobial Resistance, Sarah Cahill, Senior Food Standards Officer with [...]

Tom Heilandt, Codex Secretary, and Professor Yong Ho Park, Chairperson of the Codex Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance, highlighted Codex food standards as panellists in two different sessions of the 2018 International Dairy Federation (IDF) World Dairy Summit in Daejeon, Korea, this week. “Food is more than just eating, but comfort,” Heilandt said in the keynote speech of the session on food safety. “We tend to take its safety for granted. Food is fragile. That’s why we need to work together to [...]

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, Check with delivered It is an honor for me to be here on Jeju Island and assist in the 5th Session of the Codex Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance.  First, let me thank our hosts from the Republic of Korea for their kind offer to continue their contribution to the task force and especially our chairperson Prof Park. Codex could not work without its host governments and the Codex chairs – they are the backbone of [...]

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly serious threat to global public health that requires action across all government sectors and society. What is AMR? Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to others. (WHO) Codex Task Force The Codex Alimentarius Commission agreed in July [...]

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a global forum working to “transform scientific knowledge into innovative solutions for the benefit of people around the world.” They were established in 1939 and are an NGO observer to Codex. We spoke to Rosie Newsome who is Director of Science and Policy Initiatives. Question: Antibiotics have been used in food animals for more than 50 years to treat, prevent, or control infectious disease. What is the relation to antimicrobial resistance? IFT Response: The antibiotic [...]

In 2016 the Codex Alimentarius Commission established a Task Force on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which will hold its first meeting in Jeju, 27 November – 1 December 2017. Professor Yong Ho Park will chair the task force on behalf of the Republic of Korea. Professor Park holds a doctorate in veterinary medicine and a masters in science from Seoul National University, Korea and a PhD in veterinary microbiology from Washington State University. He has worked in the field of veterinary science [...]

The International Dairy Federation (IDF) is the global voice of dairy towards stakeholders and intergovernmental organizations and an NGO observer in Codex. Nico van Belzen is Director General and spoke to Codex about AMR. Codex: Antimicrobial Resistance is not constrained by geographic borders therefore limiting the development of AMR requires the implementation of global strategies. Why is it important today to raise the awareness of all stakeholders involved?  van Belzen: The spread of AMR threatens our ability to treat common infectious diseases, resulting in [...]

Steve Wearne is Director of Policy and Science Group at the UK Food Standards Agency and In July 2017 he was elected as Vice Chair of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. He also chaired the 2016 Codex physical Working Group on antimicrobial resistance in London.   For Antimicrobial Awareness Week we spoke to Steve about the importance of antimicrobial resistance as an issue, about the agricultural use of antimicrobials, and about national and international action on the issue, of which the work of [...]

The Codex Secretariat has published the report of the working group on AMR hosted by the UK and co-chaired by the USA and Australia that met in London from 29 November to 2 December 2016. The report is available online as a working document of the 40th Codex Alimentarius Commission which will take place in Geneva in July. Broad consensus The London meeting completed the tasks set by the 2016 Commission and carried out the initial ground work for the Codex Task Force [...]

The working group hosted by UK and co-chaired by the USA and Australia met in London from 29 November to 2 December 2016 to complete the tasks set by the 39th Codex Alimentarius Commission. Taskforce to tackle emerging global threat This work involved preparing the work for the Codex Task Force on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which will begin its discussions in 2017. Hosted by the Republic of Korea, this body will review and revise Codex texts to address uses of antimicrobials in agriculture [...]