The world is fast heading towards a post-antibiotics era, because overuse and misuse means antibiotics are becoming vastly less effective in treating common infections. Urgent action is needed to change the way both doctors and consumers use antibiotics, to avoid a post-antibiotics era where these drugs no longer work at all.
These are the key messages from the World Health Organization (WHO) during the first ever World Antibiotic Awareness Week, from 16 to 22 November. With the theme Antibiotics: handle with care, the week will focus on steps that everyone can take to preserve the power of antibiotics for the future.
“Antibiotics are a crucial part of modern medicine, but they have become victims of their own success. As a result of over-use and misuse of antibiotics by both doctors and patients, antibiotic resistance is a now a gravely serious global health problem – including here in China,” said Dr Bernhard Schwartländer, WHO Representative in China.
The discovery of antibiotics in the last century changed the course of modern medicine, giving doctors the ability to treat previously fatal infections, saving millions of lives in the process. However, antibiotics have been used too frequently, and often unnecessarily. This has led to the emergence of new kinds of bacteria which are resistant to antibiotic treatments.
“Antibiotic resistance affects us all. It means infections which were once easily cured are becoming harder to treat, and common surgical procedures such as caesarean sections and appendix removals could become life-threatening due to the risk of untreatable infections,” Dr Schwartländer explained.
Beyond the health system, the economic costs of antibiotic resistance are formidable – in China, one prediction estimates the loss of up to a million lives a year by 2050 – and if left unchecked, antibiotic resistance could wipe out up to 3.5% of global GDP by 2050.
In China, use of antibiotics is very high: over the past decade, more than half of outpatients in China have been prescribed antibiotics – far above the level recommended by WHO (less than 30%).
A new survey commissioned by the WHO for World Antibiotic Awareness Week also shows that public awareness in China about antibiotics and their use is low:
- 61% of survey respondents in China thought antibiotics were effective against colds and flu, despite the fact that antibiotics have no impact on viruses;
- 53% of survey respondents in China thought it was okay to stop once taking antibiotics once they felt better, rather than completing the prescribed course of treatment; and
- 35% of survey respondents in China thought antibiotics were effective against headaches, which is not the case.
China has taken important steps over the last few years to address antibiotic resistance: for instance, in 2011, the Chinese government launched a nationwide campaign to improve the use of antibiotics by health workers and institutions, which has led to significant reductions in rates of antibiotic prescriptions.
However, more needs to be done – both by health care professionals and patients.
“In the hospital or consulting room, action at both ends of the stethoscope is crucial. The WHO’s message for doctors is simple: only prescribe antibiotics if they are truly needed, and only prescribe and dispense the right antibiotic, at the right dose, for the right duration,” Dr Schwartländer said.
“The WHO’s message for patients is this: don’t demand antibiotics from your doctor when you may not need them. Only take antibiotics when they are prescribed for you by a certified health professional. Always take the full course, even if you are feeling better. Never use leftover antibiotics, and never share your antibiotics with others,” said Dr Schwartländer.
“The magnitude of the problem of antibiotic resistance is enormous, and all of us have a role to play in addressing it. If everyone plays their part, we can ensure that these crucial drugs are still able to save lives in the years to come,” Dr Schwartländer concluded.
Note to editors:
At the 68th World Health Assembly in May 2015, the World Health Assembly endorsed a global action plan to tackle antibiotic resistance. One of the plan’s objectives is to improve awareness and understanding of antibiotic resistance through effective communication, education and training.
World Antibiotic Awareness Week is a global campaign, led by the WHO with partners around the world. In the Western Pacific Region, WHO and its partners will hold a range of events and campaigns to highlight the impact of antibiotic resistance, and to spark change at a local and national level.
In China, WHO is hosting a Weibo campaign to raise awareness about antibiotic resistance and the role everyone can play in combatting it. To learn more follow WHO China's official Weibo (@世界卫生组织), or join the conversation using the hashtag #慎重对待抗生素# (‘Handle Antibiotics with Care’).