Global antibiotic consumption has increased substantially since 2016, study finds

A new study highlights the recent but fluctuating growth in global human antibiotic consumption, one of the main drivers of growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR results in infections that no longer respond to antibiotics (and other antimicrobial medicines) and often leads to longer hospital stays, higher treatment costs, and higher mortality rates. AMR is estimated to be associated with nearly five million global deaths annually .

Researchers affiliated with the One Health Trust (OHT), the Population Council, GlaxoSmithKline, the University of Zurich, the University of Brussels, Johns Hopkins University, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed pharmaceutical sales data from 67 countries from 2016-2023 for the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic growth on human antibiotic consumption .



The study provides a breakdown of global antibiotic sales in reported countries by national income level, antibiotic class, and antibiotic grouping according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) AWaRe classification system for antibiotic stewardship and projects consumption through 2030. The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . The study found: This study sheds light on recent trends in consumption across country income levels that can be used to help promote the careful use of antibiotics and other public health interventions that may reduce antibiotic consumption, such as improved infection prevention and control measures and increased childhood vaccination coverage.

The study also has implications for future pandemic preparedness. According to Dr. Eili Klein, lead author of the study and Senior Fellow at OHT, "The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily disrupted antibiotic use, but global consumption has rebounded quickly and continues to rise at an alarming rate.

To address this escalating crisis, we must prioritize reducing inappropriate antibiotic use in high-income nations while making substantial investments in infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries to curb disease transmission effectively." More information: Eili Y. Klein, Global trends in antibiotic consumption during 2016–2023 and future projections through 2030, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024).

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2411919121.