Sweden’s new Strategy on Antimicrobial Resistance

2025-12-15

ReAct welcomes the launch of Sweden’s new Strategy on Antimicrobial Resistance. It will guide Sweden’s efforts to address antibiotic resistance - nationally and through international commitments in the next 10 years. Sweden’s new strategy was developed through extensive consultation and collaboration with experts, organizations and authorities across sectors, including ReAct.

The new strategy has a time-span extended from the previous four to now ten years (2026-2035), reflecting the necessary longer-term perspective needed towards realizing the strategic vision of “A society where access to antimicrobial treatment is preserved through cross-sectoral and sector-specific measures to prevent infections and limit the emergence, spread, and impact of resistant microorganism”.

ReAct is particularly pleased to see a 10-year vision which emphasizes the preservation of ‘access’ to antibiotics is the central goal – something we would have liked to also see in the UNGA political declaration on AMR from 2024.

While the new strategy covers the wider concept of “antimicrobial resistance (AMR)” to reflect emerging challenges with for example resistant fungal infections, Sweden’s focus of work both nationally and internationally will be on antibiotic resistance, since it constitutes the largest threat.

Keeping Sweden’s resistance levels low requires continued action

While Sweden currently has low resistance levels compared to many other countries, the strategy reflects the necessary continued development of measures and improved collaboration across sectors to maintain this situation. The problem is growing also in Sweden. For example, both the proportion of MRSA and cefotaxime-resistant E. coli in blood isolates have gradually increased over the last decade, reaching 2.6% and 9.2%, respectively (see figure below).

Stronger goals and broader scope

Building on its previous strategy, the Swedish government seeks to clarify goals and follow-up mechanisms to strengthen efforts already underway. The new strategy is further developed with clear and time-bound goals and sub-goals, an emphasis on infection prevention measures, including infection control in health care, and strong focus on access to effective antibiotics and diagnostic tests.

The strategy also highlights the importance of strategic work against AMR at societal level to manage “civil emergencies, heightened readiness and war”. It is argued that AMR is not only a public health issue, but also a security and supply issue with consequences for society as a whole. Compared to the previous strategy it also further reinforces a One health approach, involving both cross-sectoral and sector-specific objectives.

Sweden’s role in driving international progress on antibiotic resistance

ReAct particularly welcomes that Sweden’s continued active engagement for global collective action on antibiotic resistance is reflected in the strategy, which is needed now more than ever. Sweden’s relatively favorable resistance situation is the result of long-term, systematic work in both the animal and human sectors, which has laid the foundation for strong credibility and internationally recognized expertise in the field. Goal 3 aims to maintain strong, active Swedish leadership in global, European and Nordic collaborations to ensure antimicrobial resistance is addressed internationally, contributing with Swedish experiences.

Important sub-objectives include contribution to international work according to the 2024 UN high-level meeting declaration as well as promoting more binding commitments in the work against AMR. Additionally, Sweden’s work to strengthen other countries’ capacity building based on their needs and contribute to their efforts to reduce the development of resistance is essential, especially as many countries face severe challenges to provide sufficient resources for their national responses.

Sweden’s role in advancing innovation and access to antibiotics

The Strategy’s Goals 9 and 10 aims to ensure reliable access to effective diagnostics, and antibiotics (both new and old), as well as supporting research and innovation to develop or optimize new antibiotics, diagnostic methods, vaccines as well as knowledge concerning implementation, behavior and communication. With access to effective antibiotics increasingly viewed as an issue of preparedness and security, it is worth highlighting that the Swedish government recently purchased a factory with capacity to produce essential antibiotics, if and when needed as one avenue of securing more reliable access.

The strategy also sets out goals for engaging more in international efforts to develop new tools to manage antibiotics. Importantly, it remains open to developing novel incentives – which hopefully can go beyond the proposals of very limited effect, which has recently been agreed on at EU level.

The adoption of this new strategy reaffirms Sweden’s strong and continuing international engagement.

ReAct is looking forward to continue to engage with all Swedish actors involved in its implementation, and to contribute to key areas aligned with our areas of expertise and experience to reach the targets set out in the strategy.