The global consumption of antibiotics in human medicine has increased by 48% since the millennium. However, some countries have reduced their consumption while others have seen a rapid increase.
Antibiotics have enabled a revolution in public health. Just a century ago, tuberculosis and pneumonia were respectively the second and fourth most common causes of death in Switzerland. Add to that typhoid fever, cholera and the plague, and fully one third of all deaths were attributable to bacterial infections. Penicillin, discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming and made available commercially from 1942, increased survival chances of pneumonia or septicaemia patients by 10 to 90%.
Antibiotic use in hospitals
In Swiss hospitals, the level of antibiotic use is similar to rates in other European countries. Per capita consumption declined during the COVID-19 pandemic and was stable in the years preceding this. The figures are presented in the international standard unit “defined daily doses” per 1000 residents.
Use of antibiotics in outpatient settings (primary care)
Around 85% of antibiotics used are given in the outpatient setting. In outpatient medicine, Switzerland consumes on average lower quantities of antibiotics compared to the countries in the European Union. However, there are important differences between regions: some French- or Italian-speaking cantons consume up to three times more antibiotics per head than certain German-speaking cantons. For the particularly critical antibiotics in the “Watch” group especially, a significant fall in consumption of just under 40% has been achieved in the last 10 years.
Use of antibiotics around the world
The global consumption of antibiotics in human medicine has increased by 48% since the millennium. However, some countries have reduced their consumption while others, for example South Africa, Brazil, China, India and Russia, have seen a rapid increase. This increase in emerging countries is due to the fact that their healthcare systems are evolving rapidly, and increasing numbers of people are accessing modern medicines thanks to higher standards of living.
Important applications of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine
Last modification 06.03.2025
Contact
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
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