2023-11-14 12:32:18
Published on Nov. 14, 2023 at 11:31 a.m. Updated on Nov. 14, 2023 at 11:32 a.m.
“Antibiotics, taking good care of yourself, means first using them well. » Despite the slogan widely distributed by Public Health France to prevent excessive consumption of antibiotics, the French continue to use them massively.
In 2022, 800 prescriptions for this type of medication (excluding hospitalizations) were made per 1,000 inhabitants. This represents a 16.6% increase compared to 2021, details SPF in a report published Monday. If the French consume less than ten years ago, it is still too much, estimates the institution. The objective is to reduce consumption by 25% by 2025.
The Covid-19 pandemic had made it possible to temporarily reduce the consumption of these drugs, since the protective measures against the virus had the effect of limiting seasonal infections. But since the abandonment of barrier gestures, this consumption has skyrocketed.
“The years 2021 and 2022 were accompanied by a resumption of common winter infections, medical consultations and antibiotic prescriptions, particularly during their last quarters,” details the institution in a study. This recovery is particularly marked among children aged 5 to 14, with a jump of 41.8% compared to 2021. The levels, however, remain “slightly lower” than those of 2019.
Risk of antibiotic resistance
However, taking too many antibiotics – some of which can now be prescribed directly by pharmacists – is not without risk. “France is one of the European countries with the highest consumption of antibiotics,” warns Caroline Semaille, Director General of Public Health France. The main risk is the development of bacteria resistant to these treatments, antibiotic resistance. Indeed, nearly 5 million deaths per year across the world could be attributed to antibiotic resistance, according to a study from “The Lancet” published in 2022.
Especially since these drugs are only effective on bacterial infections and have no effect on infections caused by a virus, such as influenza or bronchiolitis, insists the institution. Public Health France announced the rebroadcast of its prevention campaign on the consumption of antibiotics from December.
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