ADVANcing Clinical Evidence in Infectious Diseases (ADVANCE-ID) was officially launched at the ADVANCE-ID Launch Symposium by its director, Prof David Paterson recently in Singapore. (ADVANCE-ID) is a network of more than 30 hospitals across Asia collaborating in the conduct of clinical research in infectious diseases.

Over 100 thought leaders and experts from 17 countries convened at the NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House to exchange insights into how countries can prevent and treat infectious diseases, centering on the theme of the threat faced by antimicrobial resistance in an era of a dwindling supply of new antibiotics. The two-day event also included panel discussions and breakout sessions on research priorities for clinicians in ADVANCE-ID.

The symposium was opened by Prof Kenneth Mak, Director of Medical Services at the Ministry of Health of Singapore. In his opening address, Prof Mak described Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as “a slow-burn pandemic” which can have a profound impact on our healthcare systems and communities. He said:” I am confident that the ADVANCE-ID initiative will spur fruitful partnerships and exchanges, as it spurs quality clinical research to derive practical solutions and new ways to address AMR, inform upstream AMR-related policy strategies and ultimately improve health outcomes.”

ADVANCE-ID was set up in March 2022 with a grant from the Wellcome Trust and funds from other institutions including, NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Duke-NUS Medical School, NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, and the National Centre for Infectious Diseases. The Singapore Clinical Research Institute will also be involved in implementing this network.