Almost 40 Percent of Europeans are Aware of Antibiotic Overuse

The European Commission has published two reports which demonstrate the need for further progress in the European Union on the issue of antimicrobial resistance.

The first is a pan-European survey which reveals some worrying trends in public attitudes towards the use of antibiotics. For example,  53 percent of Europeans surveyed still believe that antibiotics are effective against viruses and,  of the 40 percent who claim to have taken antibiotics in the past year, over a third took them for a viral infection like a cold or the flu. The results indicate that citizens need more information on the correct use of antibiotics, even though 37 percent of respondents remember having received information on not overusing antibiotics in the last 12 months.

The second document is a progress report on the 2002 Council Recommendation on the prudent use of antibiotics. The report shows that good progress has been made - for example most member states now have in place systems to monitor antimicrobial resistance and use of antibiotics – and  stresses the importance of maintaining efforts to raise awareness amongst healthcare professionals and the public. To access these reports, CLICK HERE.