AMR has been identified as one of the top three priority health threats. More than 35,000 people die annually in the European Union and the European Economic Area from this cause.
Taking antibiotics without a prescription can do irreparable harm PHOTO: Shutterstock
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) or antimicrobial resistance (RAM) was identified in 2022 by the European Commission together with the member states as one of the top three threats to health. For its part, the World Health Organization (WHO) promotes an integrated approach to combat this global problem and has developed an international action strategy. During World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, November 18-24, 2025, activities are being held to raise awareness of the rational use of antibiotics.
From the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming, an event that marked the beginning of a new era in medicine, to the problems caused today by the irrational use of antibiotics, not even a century has passed. Antibiotics, essential drugs in the treatment of bacterial infections, have become ineffective in many cases, and this has been achieved through excessive, inadequate or unjustified use.
Although the figures show a decrease over the past twenty years, the use of antibiotics is still far too high in many countries in Europe, as a report by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control showed two years ago. Romanians are the largest consumers in the European Economic Area, with 25.7 DDD (Defined Daily Doses) per 1,000 inhabitants/day in 2021, followed by Cypriots (25.0), Bulgarians (24.4) and Greeks (23.5), according to statista.com. Consumption levels in the three countries are significantly higher than the European average (16.4). On the opposite pole, the lowest values in study were reported in the Netherlands and Austria, where the defined daily dose was between 8 and 9 DDD per 1,000 inhabitants in 2021. Due to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, the emergence and persistence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has been reached.
In even darker numbers, AMR resulted in the deaths of an estimated 31,000 to 39,000 people each year in 29 European countries between 2016 and 2020.
From the estimate of the number of deaths attributable to “superbugs” in relation to the population, Greece, Italy, Romania and Cyprus are among the European countries most seriously affected by antibiotic resistance, with annual mortality rates between 10 and 20 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants (2016-2020). Regarding the lowest mortality rates on the continent, we find, as in the case of low consumption, the Netherlands again, this time alongside Norway, with 2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, according to statista.com data.
“Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global problem. This occurs when pathogens no longer respond to usual treatments, rendering antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs ineffective. As a result, infections become more difficult or even impossible to treat, leading to an increased risk of disease spread, severe illness and a higher death rate.”it is stated on the website of the National Institute of Public Health (INSP). AMR (or ARA) affects both the health system and the economy and society as a whole. Every year, around 670,000 infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria are registered in Europe, a phenomenon that underlines the urgency of coordinated actions at European level.
Reducing antibiotic consumption by 27% by 2023, objective for Romania
As Romania had in 2021 the highest consumption of antibiotics in the European Union – 25.7 DDD/1000 inhabitants/day, a coordinated and sustainable national framework was created for the control of AMR, through the development of the National Strategy 2023-2030 for the prevention and limitation of infections associated with medical care and combating the phenomenon of antimicrobial resistance, approved by Government Decision no. 1005/2023, shows INSP.
A major objective assumed by our country is to reduce the human consumption of antibiotics by 27% by 2030, thus contributing to protecting the effectiveness of these essential medicines.
Among the measures adopted is the release of antibiotics exclusively on the basis of a medical prescription, for cases where the treatment is medically justified. According to the Order of the Minister of Health no. 63/2024, antibiotics can be dispensed without a prescription only in emergency situations, within the limit of a maximum allowed dose, based on a self-responsible declaration completed in the pharmacy. Afterwards, the patient must see the doctor to obtain an appropriate prescription.
30% of antibiotics prescribed are unnecessary
A report published in the Journal of The American Medical Association found that about 30 percent of antibiotics prescribed in doctors’ offices, clinics and emergency rooms are unnecessary. This fact is the consequence of the use of antibiotics for viral infections, against which they are not effective, the INSP also states. The global crisis has been accelerated by the misuse and inappropriate use of antibiotics in both medicine and food production.
“Without urgent and coordinated action, the world risks entering a post-antibiotic era, where common infections could become deadly again. In response, the World Health Assembly (the most important global meeting in the field of health, attended by representatives of the 194 member states of the WHO, who make decisions on global health policy), adopted in 2015 a global action plan focused on five key directions: education and awareness; research and surveillance; infection prevention; responsible use of antimicrobials; stimulating investments in innovative solutions”, public health specialists also show.
How you can prevent antibiotic resistance
Observance of simple rules allows the prevention of antibiotic resistance, and these rules apply to each of us. Here’s what you can do:
– Follow the doctor’s recommendations when taking antibiotic treatment and do not stop the treatment before the indicated term;
– Use antibiotics only on the basis of medical prescription, do not use drugs left over from previous treatments, from other people or obtained without a prescription because the abusive use of antibiotics, without a doctor’s recommendation, makes them less effective when you really need them;
– Prevent infections, when possible, through appropriate vaccination and personal hygiene measures;
– Maintain rigorous hand hygiene, both for you and your children, wash your hands frequently, especially after coughing, sneezing or before meals;
– Ask your pharmacist for advice on the correct way to dispose of unused antibiotics to avoid negative impact on the environment and public health.
