The missing link in combating antimicrobial resistance: leveraging vaccines for prevention

Area of Science:

• Global Health Security
• Infectious Disease Prevention
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global threat, projected to cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050.
• Vaccines are proven tools to prevent infections and reduce antibiotic use, yet they are underutilized in AMR strategies.
• Current AMR and immunization programs operate in silos, hindering the integration of vaccine evidence into policy and coordinated action.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the integration of vaccines as essential AMR infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• To propose five key governance shifts necessary for operationalizing vaccine-AMR integration.
• To present a model for establishing an AMR-Vaccine Network to pilot these governance reforms.

Main Methods:

• This commentary synthesizes evidence on the impact of vaccines on AMR.
• It analyzes the governance and operational challenges in integrating vaccines into National AMR Action Plans.
• It draws on a case study from the Philippines to demonstrate a potential solution through an AMR-Vaccine Network.

Main Results:

• Pediatric vaccination could prevent an estimated 181,500 AMR-associated deaths annually in LMICs.
• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines have shown a 56.9% reduction in nonsusceptible infections.
• National AMR Action Plans currently overlook vaccines' role in reducing infection burden and antibiotic consumption.

Conclusions:

• Vaccines must be recognized and funded as core AMR infrastructure in LMICs.
• Implementing five governance shifts—collaboration, explicit targets, coordinated surveillance, dedicated financing, and focused research—is crucial.
• Establishing formal networks, like the proposed AMR-Vaccine Network, can operationalize vaccine-AMR integration and combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.