Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a complex policy issue that is gaining prominence at a global level. A landmark United Nations Declaration on AMR was signed in 2016 by 193 countries, recognising the need for global action through the collective effort of many different parties.
AMR is a unique problem, but studying the development of other policy issues that are complex and enduring can provide insights into how to tackle AMR going forward. Lessons from the past can contribute to policy design but are often overlooked.
RAND Europe, together with the University of Exeter and University of East Anglia, has been commissioned to provide a fresh perspective on AMR by using a historical and comparative approach. The study will seek to understand how AMR has developed as a policy issue over time, looking at climate change and tobacco control for comparison. The study will also examine how historical analysis can be used in future approaches to scenario planning and policy making.
The project will draw on reviews of existing evidence, interviews and futures methods including scenario planning. An important part of the research will involve interactive policy events that bring together historians, policymakers and other stakeholders.
