After two years of increase, the consumption of antibiotics in community medicine (which represents 90% of total antibiotic consumption) fell in France in 2023. This is the result of the figures published Wednesday November 6, 2024 by Public Health France , reports BFMTV .
In 2023, there were 820.6 prescriptions per 1,000 inhabitants, a drop of 0.2% compared to 2022. Consumption fell by 3.3% over one year. The decline in consumption was noticeable for several years before the Covid-19 pandemic. But a recovery was noted in 2021 and 2022.
Women and seniors who are heavy consumers
These new figures constitute “an encouraging sign”according to Dr Caroline Semaille, Director General of Public Health France. “However, we are still far from the target objective of less than 650 prescriptions per 1,000 inhabitants per year retained by the 2022-2025 National Strategy for the prevention of infections and antibiotic resistance”she noted.
Disparities are notable across the territory based on age, gender and territories. Thus, 59.1% of prescriptions concerned women. Prescription has decreased for children under 5 years old, stabilized among 15-64 year olds and increased among those over 65 years old. Note that the consumption of antibiotics was higher in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Corsica.
As for prescribers, general practitioners reduced the issuance of prescriptions for antibiotics in 2023 (-1.3%). But conversely, specialists have increased their prescriptions, with an increase of 4% for dentists and 4.6% for other practitioners.
Health
