Nations vary widely in antibiotic use, WHO data show

A report today from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows a wide range in the amount of antibiotics being consumed in different countries.

The report, released on the first day of World Antibiotic Awareness Week, found that overall antibiotic consumption in 65 countries in 2015 ranged from 4.4 defined daily doses (DDD) to 64.4 per 1,000 inhabitants per day, a 16-fold difference. The publication is the first ever from the WHO to provide a global overview of antibiotic consumption data based on a standardized global methodology.

The WHO says release the data is a critical first step in helping countries understand the amount of antibiotics being used at the national level and how they’re being used. The hope is that accurate, standardized data will enable countries to develop strategies to improve antibiotic use and will aid the global fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

“Collecting data on antibiotic use is of paramount importance to generate the evidence that will enable us to tackle AMR and protect human health,” WHO deputy director-general for programs Soumya Swaminathan, MD, writes in the report.

Source: CIDRAP

The WHO Report

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