A study which was conducted recently has examined trends in the use of antibiotics in 76 countries between 2000 and 2015. The results reveal that daily doses of antibiotics increased by 65% and that the rate of consumption increased by 39%, in total, especially in the populations with low to medium incomes. The experts predicted that the antibiotics consumption may grow by 200% by 2030.
More antibiotic-resistant bacteria may appear if the chaotic antibiotics consumption continues
A new research conducted by an international science team and led by the Center for the Dynamics of Diseases, Economics and Politics (CDDEP), based in Washington DC, has analyzed the global trends in antibiotics use between 2000 and 2015.
According to the authors of this study, “the knowledge of antibiotic consumption patterns could guide policy and abide by its resistance.”
Besides, antibiotic-resistant bacteria have also emerged due to the high consumption of antibiotics without a proper administration of the treatment. Now, there are many superbugs that puzzle doctors who notice, more and more, that antibiotics lose effectiveness.
Scientists from institutions such as the School of Medicine of the Johns Hopkins University, the University of Baltimore, or the University of Antwerp, in Belgium, used pharmaceutical sales data to study the use of antibiotics in 76 countries.
Antibiotics consumption may grow by 200% by 2030
The complete evaluation of the figures to date reveals that the daily doses of antibiotics increased by 65%, from 21,100 million to 34,800 million. In turn, the rate of antibiotic consumption, in total, increased by 39%, from 11.3 to 15.7 per 1,000 inhabitants, per day.
The experts also projected the total world consumption of antibiotics until 2030. According to the authors, with the continuation of the current trends, its use is expected to increase by up to 200%.
“The report stresses the need for global vigilance for resistance and policies to reduce antibiotics unnecessary use.”
For researchers, although it is critical to reducing the consumption of antibiotics, it is also necessary to promote and increase access to better treatments for the low-income populations in the most affected countries.
Scientists concluded that, if no measures will be taken, antibiotic consumption may grow by 200% by 2030 which will also mean that more and more antibiotic-resistant bacteria will appear.