Vaccines are key to preventing infection and thus reducing the use of antibiotics, supporting worldwide efforts to tackle rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR), according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO). 

The report showed that vaccines against 24 pathogens could help reduce the number of antibiotics needed by 22 per cent or 2.5 billion defined daily doses globally every year. If vaccines could be rolled out against all these pathogens, it could save a third of the hospital costs associated with AMR.