ECDC and EMA launch survey about antibiotic use and resistance

30/01/2019 Policy 1282 Views
ECDC and EMA launch survey about antibiotic use and resistance

A survey funded by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and disseminated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) about the knowledge and attitudes of healthcare professionals towards antibiotic use and resistance is open until February 14th. The aim of this analysis is to gather around 10.000 responses counting with the representation from a variety of healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists, pharmacists, clinical scientists, and hospital managers, allied health professionals, nursing associates, technicians and healthcare students.

The objectives of the study for ECDC are:

  • To gain a better understanding of their knowledge and perceptions to provide a base to support future needs in terms of policy and education changes, and
  • To fill in gaps in terms of evaluation of communication campaigns targeting healthcare workers.

Why is AMR a serious threat to public health?

According to data (2016-2017) from the European Commission, 25 000 patients die annually in the EU alone as a result of infections caused by resistant bacteria. Globally this number could be as high as 700 000. Moreover, if current infection and resistance trends are not reversed, 10 million deaths per year are projected between 2015 and 2050.  Only 0.7 million of these additional deaths would occur in North America or Europe, with the largest numbers in Africa and Asia.

At a global level, the bulk of antimicrobials are not consumed by humans, but by animals. In the US the livestock sector accounts for about 80{cabf78295431282ca1bec49ffbe2c87b89a1285ae102b2d0687184fc21af24ba} of total annual consumption. Between 2010 and 2030, global consumption of antimicrobials in the livestock sector is projected to increase by about 67{cabf78295431282ca1bec49ffbe2c87b89a1285ae102b2d0687184fc21af24ba}. Only 25{cabf78295431282ca1bec49ffbe2c87b89a1285ae102b2d0687184fc21af24ba} of countries have implemented a national policy to tackle AMR and less than 40{cabf78295431282ca1bec49ffbe2c87b89a1285ae102b2d0687184fc21af24ba} of countries have put in place infection prevention and control programmes for AMR. Overall, globally it is estimated that only half of antibiotics are used correctly.

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