The first-ever European Antibiotic Awareness Day took place across Europe on Tuesday 18 November 2008. European Antibiotic Awareness Day will be an annually recurring event that will raise awareness about the risks associated with inappropriate use of antibiotics and how to take antibiotics responsibly. To mark the day, a seminar was held in Dublin to highlight initiatives being taken to combat over-use of antibiotics in Ireland, which include a media campaign, an educational programme for General Practitioners, development of antibiotic prescribing guidelines and distribution of educational material through health centres, community pharmacies and elsewhere. A summary of data on antibiotic consumption in Ireland can be found here
Presentation materials from the seminar, along with associated educational material will be available on the HPSC website below.