Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 35
35
UK introduced innovative subscription-based model for incentivising new antibiotic development and reduced use.
Conclusion
As part of the 2019–24 NAP, the government introduced a subscription- based model to pay for antibiotics. Instead of paying pharmaceutical companies based on the quantity of antibiotics used, the model pays out a flat-rate subscription fee.92 The aim of the model is to provide sufficient funding to incentivise pharmaceutical companies to invest in developing new antibiotics, while simultaneously facilitating reductions in their overall use (as unnecessary use of antibiotics drives up AMR). This is an innovative model and UK is one of the first countries to test such a payment mechanism.93
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 18 September 2025. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗