NIVEL launches EU project to curb antibiotic resistance

In the European Union (EU), antibiotic-resistant bacteria result in approximately 25,000 deaths every year, at a cost of around 1.5 billion euros to health care systems. Improper use of antibiotics increases the risk of resistant strains of bacteria that do not respond to any form of treatment at all. This is a major public health threat in Europe. The ARNA (Antimicrobial resistance and causes of non-prudent use of antibiotics in human medicine) Project will contribute to more careful use of antibiotics in Europe. ‘Self-medication’ will receive special attention. Within the project, the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) will work together with the University of Antwerp (Belgium) and TNS NIPO to assess the improper use of antibiotics in the EU.

 
Inappropriate antibiotic use can take many forms. For example, antibiotics might be prescribed too often even when there are no medical grounds for this. Self-medicating with over-the-counter antibiotics and taking leftover antibiotics without knowing what they should be used for also contribute to resistance. Antibiotics are available over the counter for self-medication in some southern and eastern European countries, while in other countries they have to be prescribed by a doctor.
 
With this project, NIVEL and its partners want to:
- Identify factors that cause or perpetuate the sale of antibiotics without a prescription.
- Examine whether a legal framework can be developed in the EU for the use of antibiotics, especially for self-medication.
- Identify best practices for appropriate antibiotic use.
- Develop policy options for the appropriate use of antibiotics. This will focus mainly on the use of non-prescription antibiotics, with special attention being given to seven countries in southern and eastern Europe.
 
NIVEL and its partners will share the results of the ARNA Project with policymakers, make recommendations at national and European level, and publish their findings in academic journals. Based on this, the European Commission and the member states can take action to curb resistance to antibiotics.
 
Funding
European Commission
 
Cooperating partners
University of Antwerp
TNS-NIPO (in Dutch)