There are fears that antibiotic resistance could cause tens of millions of deaths by 2050 – but the use of last-resort antimicrobial drugs is on the rise, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said on Monday.

Summary

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) warns of rising antibiotic use in the EU, increasing risks of antimicrobial resistance, which contributed to nearly 5 million deaths in 2019.

Between 2019 and 2023, 14 EU countries reported higher antibiotic consumption, with hospital use of last-resort antibiotics also rising.

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics remain the primary drivers of resistance.

Despite EU targets to reduce antibiotic consumption by 20% by 2030, progress is slow, with the ECDC urging stronger action to curb resistance and reassess guidelines.