GSCF supports the WHO Strategic & Operational Priorities to address drug-resistant bacterial infections and the public health goal to contain AMR but is highly concerned by the proposal to restrict sales of non-prescription antimicrobials as part of strategic priority 2.

Imposing prescription status on non-prescription antimicrobials will have a negative impact the access of self-care products to individuals to treat routine conditions, and in turn add further burden on overstretched health systems.

The prescription status of antimicrobial products should be restricted to those products for which an AMR risk has been confirmed as a public health threat. It should be based on risk intended to be mitigated with sound scientific criteria rather than a blanket classification for antimicrobials without considering the benefit of the product. Non-prescription antimicrobials medicines have well defined indicated usages and are generally used in lower doses and via topical routes of administration. Controversial resistance to topically applied preparations from the non-prescription area has not been sufficiently investigated to draw final conclusions.