EMA Raises Antibiotic Use Awareness

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced on Nov. 18, 2020 that it is launching a social media campaign to stress the importance of prudent use of antibiotics. The campaign is part of the agency’s recognition of European Antibiotic Awareness Day, the European Union’s initiative to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance.

The campaign includes info-cards on what the pharmaceutical industry, the public, healthcare professionals, and the media can do to ensure that antibiotics are used wisely. Because bacteria and microorganisms can change over time and develop resistance to antibiotics, EMA says that prudent use of such treatments may help slow that process.

“Tackling antimicrobial resistance is a global challenge and a high priority for EMA and the European medicines regulatory network. We all have a role to play in addressing this challenge: regulators, governments, companies through development of new innovative antibiotics, but also healthcare professionals and patients by making sure they prescribe and use antibiotics wisely and responsibly,” said Emer Cooke, EMA’s executive director, in a press release.