European Commission launches H2020 prize for a diagnostic test to combat antibiotic resistance

A prize of €1 million will be awarded to the person or team that develops a rapid test to tell whether a patient needs to be treated with antibiotics or not. The aim of the Horizon Prize for better use of antibiotics is to stop many patients from taking antibiotics needlessly, which is one of the main reasons for the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The rules of contest are now available online. Contestants will be able to submit their entries from 10 March 2015 until 17 August 2016.

The Horizon Prize is a new kind of prize by the European Commission to stimulate innovation and come up with solutions to problems that matter to European citizens. In 2015, at least five Horizon Prizes will be launched in the areas of health, environment and ICT.