Ensuring prudent use of antimicrobials in human medicine in the European Union, 2005

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics pose a serious danger to public health by contributing to the development of bacteria resistant to treatment. In 2001, the European Commission launched a strategy to combat the threat of antimicrobial resistance to human, animal and plant health, which includes data collection, surveillance, research, awareness-raising exercises and the phasing out of antibiotics for non-medical use in animals. The Council Recommendation on the prudent use of antibiotics in human medicine adopted in 2002 was a component in this strategy, outlining clear-cut measures in human medicine that EU Member States could take to reduce antimicrobial resistance.