European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2012: TARGET antibiotics through guidance, education, and tools

The rise of antimicrobial resistance was placed firmly on the world map with the publication of the World Health Organization (WHO) report in March of this year and there have been other calls for international action.1 GPs are well aware of the problem of resistance but don’t really take ownership, attributing resistance to prescribing by other organisations or sectors.2 However, 80% of antibiotics are prescribed in primary care3 and there is ample evidence of the link between outpatient prescribing and antibiotic resistance.4 The fourth in the series of the now annual European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) was held on the 18 November 2012. The day endeavoured to increase the profile of initiatives designed to improve antibiotic use across Europe aimed at the general public and professionals in both community and hospital settings. Rates of antibiotic resistance are still increasing across Europe, and as …