Supporting the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) - two new contracts signed

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global concern and continues to be a significant cross-border health threat. AMR is responsible for an estimated 33,000 deaths per year in the EU and estimated to cost the EU €1.5 billion per year in healthcare costs and productivity losses[1]. The spread of new resistances, due to enhanced international travel, runs the risk of creating similar scenarios to that of COVID-19.

• On 11 March 2022, HaDEA signed a service contract with McKinsey Solutions for the preparation of a ‘Feasibility study on stockpiling of medical countermeasures in the area of AMR’.
• On 24 February 2022, HaDEA signed a service contract with PricewaterhouseCoopers EU Services EESV for the preparation of a ‘Study related to bringing AMR medical – counter measures to market’.

Background

The European Commission is building a strong European Health Union. In order to achieve this goal, protection, prevention, preparedness and response against human health hazards is a top priority.

To this end, the Commission launched a new European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) for health emergencies, to develop, produce and procure medical countermeasures before and during a health crisis.

HERA aims to:

• Improve EU health security coordination before and during crises;
• Bring together the EU Member States, industry and relevant stakeholders;
• Develop, produce, procure, stockpile and equitably distribute medical countermeasures;
• Reinforce the global health emergency response architecture.

Relevant links

HERA overview page

HERA press release

EU Health Priorities

[1] EU Action on Antimicrobial Resistance, https://ec.europa.eu/health/antimicrobial-resistance/eu-action-antimicr….