Antimicrobial resistance (AMR): The Biocodex Microbiota Institute steps in to tackle a silent health crisis
The Biocodex Microbiota Institute is a leader in scientific information and a key player in educating and training healthcare professionals and the general public on the importance of human microbiota. From November 18 to 24, for the fifth year running, the Institute is taking part in World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW), organized by the WHO. For the 2024 edition, experts from the Biocodex Microbiota Institute will create the first “Antibiotic Resistance Awareness Mural”. The aim is to present the issues and challenges associated with antibiotic resistance in a fun, collaborative way in the hope of changing patient behavior.
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Global week to raise awareness of the dangers of antibiotic resistance
Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious threats to public health worldwide. According to the WHO, unless urgent measures are taken, this scourge could cause more than ten million deaths a year by 2050.
Although with proper use, antibiotics remain a major medical advance, their abuse and misuse contribute to antibiotic resistance by encouraging the emergence of resistant bacteria, which in turn put millions of lives at risk. Despite this, only 31% of the French public says it is aware of the negative impact of antibiotics on the microbiota, according to the International Microbiota Observatory, a survey conducted in 2024 by Ipsos for the Biocodex Microbiota Institute. For the second year running, the Biocodex Microbiota Institute has commissioned Ipsos to carry out a major international survey on 7,500 individuals across 11 countries in order to better understand people’s level of knowledge and behaviors when it comes to their microbiota.
Against this worrying backdrop, World AMR Awareness Week represents a crucial opportunity to raise awareness among the public and healthcare professionals about the importance of proper antibiotic use.
Antimicrobial resistance awareness mural to get the message across to patients
Over the past five years, the Biocodex Microbiota Institute has played an active role in this global awareness campaign, with multiple initiatives to promote the proper use of antibiotics and raise awareness among the general public and healthcare professionals of their impact on microbiota. For the 2024 edition, teams from the Biocodex Microbiota Institute worked alongside Querceo to create the first “antibiotic resistance awareness mural.”
“We went for an original, fun, and collaborative format to raise awareness among a wide audience, from patients and healthcare professionals to Biocodex employees.The aim of this mural is clear: to involve as many people as possible in raising awareness about antibiotic resistance. By combining card games, quizzes and, above all, collective knowledge about the solutions to be implemented, this first-of-its-kind mural aims to popularize the issues surrounding antibiotic resistance, all while illustrating the central role of microbiota in human health.”
Training 1,700 “Biocodex Mural Makers” to animate a first-rate community of ambassadors
The campaign kicked off on November 14 with a scientific conference entitled “Antibiotic resistance: microbiota at the heart of a silent pandemic”, featuring, among others, Vanessa Carter, survivor of antibiotic resistance and member of the WHO working group on antibiotic resistance, and Professor Etienne Ruppé, specialist in antibiotic resistance and bacteriologist at the Bichat-Claude Bernard hospital in Paris.
As part of this awareness-raising week, Biocodex is also mobilizing its 1,700 employees for the initiative. Participative workshops will be organized throughout the week of November 18 to 24 to train employees in how to design the antibiotic resistance awareness mural. These workshops provide an opportunity for exchange and co-creation, to reinforce collective awareness about the proper use of antibiotics.
For Catherine Perret, Chief People Officer at Biocodex, “training our 1,700 employees in how to design this mural reinforces their commitment to raising awareness about antibiotic resistance. This makes them active ambassadors for the cause, helping to spread the importance of the proper use of antibiotics.”
About the Biocodex Microbiota Institute
The Biocodex Microbiota Institute is an international knowledge hub dedicated to human microbiota. The Institute communicates with its users in seven languages, targeting both healthcare professionals and the general public with the aim of raising awareness about the vital role this organ plays in our health. The Biocodex Microbiota Institute’s primary mission is educational: to spread the word about the importance of microbiota for everyone.
About Querceo
Querceo is a consulting firm that takes a collaborative and systemic approach to supporting organizations through the ecological transition. By creating and disseminating awareness-raising workshops, such as the Biodiversity Mural, the One Health Mural, or the SiNergie workshop, Querceo helps mobilize organizations, enabling each individual to understand and take ownership of the major challenges of tomorrow.
