Private Laboratories Initiative (PLI): strengthening antimicrobial resistance surveillance in animals

The PLI is a government-led initiative, working with private veterinary laboratories to bring together antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data from diagnostic testing of sick animals.

The Private Laboratories Initiative (PLI) is a government programme aimed at strengthening surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animals in the UK. Led by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), it works in partnership with private veterinary laboratories to make better use of diagnostic data that are not routinely captured by existing government surveillance systems.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognised as a major threat to global health. Bacteria carrying resistance genes spread between, people, animals, food, and the environment and so a One Health approach to tackling AMR is needed. In the UK animal health sector, much of the diagnostic testing for AMR in bacteria affecting animals is conducted by private veterinary laboratories (PVLs). This data is not routinely captured within existing government surveillance programmes, a gap which limits national understanding of AMR in animals and reduces the UK’s ability to identify trends, assess risks, and detect emerging resistance threats.

The PLI was established to address this gap by improving the sharing of AMR data held by PVLs with government. The project aims to identify where and how much AMR data is generated, what types of data are collected, and the methodologies used. We seek to assess and improve the suitability of this data for inclusion in national AMR surveillance.

The PLI supports the UK’s One Health AMR objectives, as outlined in the UK National Action Plan to contain and control AMR through optimised surveillance. It also helps address the recommendations made by the Public Accounts Committee, which highlight the need for better data collection, sharing and analysis in AMR across One Health sectors.