Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing the recommendations of the report by the World Health Organisation entitled Leveraging Vaccines to Reduce Antibiotic Use and Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance, published on 27 January 2023.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) contributes to the World Health Organization’s efforts to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The AMR National Action Plan (NAP) 2019-24 highlights the importance of developing new vaccines. The forthcoming NAP (2024-29) is under development, and infection prevention and control, including vaccines, will be a central part of the plan.

UKHSA conducts research on the potential for vaccines to tackle antibiotic prescribing and AMR. UKHSA leads work within a European public-private partnership. UKHSA’s AMR network provides innovative technologies and develops interventions to tackle AMR, including vaccines and alternatives to antibiotics.