AMR Summit 2024: Aligning Diagnostics, Stewardship, Advocacy, and Equity to Address Antimicrobial Resistance
By the bioMérieux Editors | Reading time: 2 min
The 2024 AMR Summit brought together over 120 multidisciplinary experts and stakeholders in Tampa, FL to explore strategic, collaborative responses to the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Attendees represented a diverse array of sectors, including clinical microbiology, infectious diseases, pharmacy, diagnostics, public health, healthcare systems, and industry. While AMR is not a new challenge, the Summit emphasized a renewed sense of urgency: the time to align action around stewardship, diagnostics, and equitable care is now.
A key theme echoed throughout the Summit was the pivotal role of diagnostics as a catalyst for effective antimicrobial stewardship. Rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing, syndromic testing, and data-driven tools were highlighted as essential to optimizing antimicrobial use, yet participants identified persistent barriers to access, adoption, and interpretation. These include misaligned financial incentives, diagnostic gaps in outpatient and rural settings, and a lack of connectivity between labs and prescribing clinicians. Many attendees stressed the need to move beyond simply developing new technologies—systems must also enable and incentivize their effective use.
Breaking Down Silos
The Summit also surfaced a shared desire to dismantle traditional silos between disciplines. Participants advocated for deeper collaboration between clinical labs and frontline providers, enhanced integration of microbiology data into electronic health records and clinical workflows, and co-led stewardship initiatives between pharmacy, ID, and laboratory medicine. Participants recognized that stewardship efforts are strongest when built on trust, shared goals, and timely, actionable data.
Importantly, the Summit placed a spotlight on equity in AMR response. Disparities in diagnostic access, infrastructure, and stewardship support across care settings were discussed extensively. From under-resourced hospitals to outpatient clinics without microbiology labs, too many patients lack access to timely diagnostics and optimal therapy. Attendees called for policies and partnerships that expand diagnostic reach, support community-based stewardship programs, and address social determinants of health that drive disproportionate AMR burden in vulnerable populations.
Demonstrating the Impact of Diagnostics
Beyond clinical and technical considerations, the Summit emphasized the power of storytelling and the translation of data into action. Participants noted that demonstrating the impact of diagnostics on patient outcomes, health system value, and public health surveillance is essential—not just through publications, but also through advocacy, education, and public engagement. Several speakers encouraged participants to frame stewardship not only as a scientific necessity but also as a moral imperative to protect patients and preserve life-saving therapies for future generations. .
"The time to act is now. By uniting across disciplines and committing to collaboration, we can mitigate the threat of AMR and protect the health of current and future generations."
The AMR Summit 2024 closed with a strong sense of momentum. Attendees voiced a shared commitment to building cross-sector partnerships, amplifying diagnostic stewardship, and advocating for systemic change. Moving forward, participants plan to advance initiatives focused on data sharing, education, diagnostic access, and interdisciplinary alignment.
The fight against AMR isn’t just about science—it’s about stewardship, equity, and the shared responsibility to safeguard the future of medicine. The Summit reminded us that when disciplines unite, progress is possible. Now is the time to act—collaborate boldly, share knowledge widely, and lead the change our patients and communities urgently need.
