Antibiotic Prescriptions Surge in Germany, Raising Resistance Concerns
Germany sees a significant rise in antibiotic use in 2023, with increased reliance on last-resort reserve antibiotics, sparking warnings from healthcare experts.
- Antibiotic prescriptions in Germany rose by 18.4% in 2023, reaching 36.1 million packs, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
- Reserve antibiotics, critical for treating severe infections, accounted for 43.4% of prescriptions, raising fears of accelerating resistance.
- Regional disparities in prescription rates persist, with Saarland leading at 539 prescriptions per 1,000 insured individuals and Hamburg at the lowest with 328.
- Experts attribute the rise to factors like post-pandemic healthcare trends and supply chain disruptions affecting standard antibiotics.
- Antibiotic resistance remains a critical issue, with an estimated 9,700 deaths annually in Germany linked to resistant infections.
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