Regulating resistance, resisting regulation: new regimes to tackle drug-resistant infections in European and Asian healthcare systems

The growing awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a global threat to human health has created regulatory challenges as health systems attempt to limit the use of antimicrobials, especially antibiotics.

This 12-month study aims to better understand the social and systemic implications of regulation and the effects of regulatory change on the recording and reporting of official data used to assess the effects of such change. I will compare two diverse country settings using ethnographic case studies and secondary data analysis. I will look at regulatory processes and consequences combining ethnographic and qualitative evidence with measurement indicators used to evaluate effectiveness.

The aim of this award will be to develop a research network and gather primary data to explore the potential for comparative research and support development of a larger collaborative grant proposal.