MARR - About MARR

About MARR

What is MARR?
Antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria is a rapidly growing problem that threatens global health. Inappropriate prescribing and overuse of antibiotics are important factors in the development of resistance. Multiple factors are known or suspected contribute to the widespread practice of inappropriate prescribing and overuse. Foremost among them are misguided consumer attitudes and unwarranted provider practices.

The Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction (MARR) Coalition is a broad coalition of local professional and community organizations and individuals built around the issue of unwarranted use of antibiotics in treating self-limiting respiratory ailments. We believe that a multi-disciplinary, multi-organizational campaign will be effective in addressing this problem. MARR was formed in 1997 and plans to capitalize on its resources and interrelationships to reach a maximum audience of consumers and health care providers.

MARR Project Goals:

1.	Change provider and consumer attitudes about responsible use of antibiotics.
2.	Reduce unwarranted antibiotic use.
3.	Slow, or even reverse, the rise of bacterial antibiotic resistance.
4.	Evaluate the effectiveness of attempts to reach goals 1 - 3.

We view our project as a demonstration effort with national and even international implications. We plan to report and publicize our findings for applications in policy making, as well as in medical and public health practices.

MARR Project Mission:
The Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction Coalition (MARR) seeks to improve the use of antimicrobial agents and reduce antimicrobial resistance rates in health care facilities and communities throughout the state of Michigan through the collaborative efforts of academic, community, government, labor and industry partners. MARR seeks to accomplish this mission by serving as a catalyst and facilitator for programs of judicious antimicrobial use, and providing such programs; maintaining a repository of current and credible information about antimicrobial resistance; and participating in clinical interventions and research that will ensure improved antimicrobial use and reduce antimicrobial resistance.

The MARR Coalition strives to:
•	Reduce antimicrobial resistance in the state of Michigan.
•	Provide a forum for bringing together stakeholders who share the goal of antimicrobial resistance reduction.
•	Provide accurate data on the antibiotic prescribing habits of health care providers in the outpatient setting.
•	Provide accurate data on inpatient prescribing patterns.
•	Provide accurate data on consumer use of antibiotics.
•	Evaluate, catalog and adapt relevant, credible and useful educational materials and programs for reduction of antimicrobial resistance through:
	•	Improvement of provider prescribing habits
	•	Decreasing consumer demand for antibiotics
	Provide infrastructure and resources for conducting research and intervention programs relating to antimicrobial resistance.