analysed pharmaceutical sales data from 67 countries between 2016 and 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\nThe study examined how economic growth and the COVID-19 pandemic influenced antibiotic usage. It also provided projections through 2030, categorising antibiotics using the World Health Organization\u2019s (WHO) AWaRe framework, which prioritises stewardship of these critical drugs.<\/p>\n
Key findings on antibiotic consumption<\/h3>\n The study observed a 16.3% increase in antibiotic sales across the reporting countries, growing from 29.5 billion defined daily doses (DDDs) in 2016 to 34.3 billion DDDs by 2023.<\/p>\n
This rise reflects a 10.2% increase in per-capita consumption, with rates climbing from 13.7 to 15.2 DDDs per 1,000 inhabitants per day.<\/p>\n
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, consumption trends diverged by income level. High-income countries experienced declining antibiotic use, while middle-income countries reported growth. From 2016 to 2019, middle-income nations saw a 9.8% rise in usage, compared to a 5.8% decrease in wealthier nations.<\/p>\n
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic<\/h3>\n The onset of COVID-19 in 2020 disrupted antibiotic usage globally, with an especially sharp drop in high-income countries.<\/p>\n
Antibiotic consumption in these nations fell by 17.8% between 2019 and 2020, partly due to pandemic-related measures such as lockdowns and reduced healthcare access.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, lower-middle-income countries surpassed high-income nations in per-capita antibiotic consumption by 2021.<\/p>\n
Middle-income countries drive growth<\/h3>\n Middle-income countries led the increase in antibiotic sales, with notable shifts in the types of antibiotics used.<\/p>\n
These nations favoured Watch antibiotics, which are considered at a higher risk for resistance, over Access antibiotics.<\/p>\n
Projections suggest that by 2030, global antibiotic consumption will surge by over 50%, reaching 75.1 billion DDDs.<\/p>\n
Implications for public health<\/h3>\n This study underscores the urgent need to curb excessive antibiotic usage through enhanced stewardship, infection prevention, and widespread vaccination.<\/p>\n
It also emphasises preparing for future pandemics by prioritising responsible antibiotic use. With rising global consumption, coordinated efforts will be crucial to combat the escalating threat of AMR.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A recent study reveals fluctuating but significant increases in global antibiotic usage, highlighting the urgent need for action against AMR.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":52997,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10551],"tags":[24363,24360],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Global antibiotic usage rises 21% by 2016, increasing AMR<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n