Action needed to stop bacterial resistance 

“If we don’t take action today, there will be no medicine available tomorrow.” In 2010, the World Health Organization sent out a wake-up call to the world and called for strengthening control of clinical application of antibacterial drugs to curb bacterial resistance.

In this tough war against bacterial resistance, China has closely integrated administrative intervention with professional technology, improved the antibacterial drug management system, and launched a cross-departmental coordination system.

Antibacterial drug use rates, intensity of use, bacterial resistance rates and other indicators have been improving in China, and the country’s management experience has been recognized by international counterparts.

Measures and management further enhanced

“China has always attached great importance to the clinical application and management of antimicrobial drugs, especially in the past 10 years. We have adopted a series of effective measures and have successively formulated technical guidelines for clinical use of antimicrobial drugs; a national antibacterial drug clinical application monitoring network and a national bacterial resistance monitoring network have been established to monitor the application of antibacterial drugs and bacterial resistance," said Xu Yingchun, an official of the National Health Commission.

In 2012, the document Administrative Measures for the Clinical Application of Antimicrobial Drugs was issued. The measures classify antibacterial drugs into the three levels of non-restricted use, restricted use, and special use, and clearly stipulate the authority of different levels of doctors to prescribe drugs.

In 2011, the former Ministry of Health carried out a three-year special rectification campaign for the clinical application of antibacterial drugs throughout the country, and strictly enforced the number of antibacterial drug products and their intensity and rate of use.

Through continuous efforts, China's control of clinical application of antibacterial drugs has achieved remarkable results. According to the National Antibacterial Drugs Clinical Application Monitoring Network, the use of antibiotics for outpatients in China dropped from 19.4 percent in 2010 to 8.1 percent in 2017, and the use of antibiotics for inpatients dropped from 67.3 percent in 2010 to 36.8 percent in 2017. The intensity of antibacterial use decreased from 77.6 DDDs in 2010 to 45.7 DDDs in 2017.

Search for a comprehensive management model that fits national conditions

“In recent years, we have been exploring an integrated governance model of cross-departmental prevention and control, and exploring a management model that meets national conditions,” said Xu.

In 2016, in response to the call of the World Health Organization, 14 ministries and commissions formulated and implemented the comprehensive National Action Plan for Combating Bacterial Resistance in China (2016- 2020).

In early 2017, the former National Health and Family Planning Commission established the Expert Committee on the Clinical Application of Antimicrobial Drugs and Bacterial Resistance Evaluation. Experts from various fields in China conducted research and evaluations and put forward policy suggestions for antibacterial drug management in China.

“Medical institutions in China are also striving to explore an efficient antibacterial drug management model,” said Xu. "At the same time, the hospital information system has been improved, and information technology is used to manage the prescription of antibacterial drugs. In addition, the public's awareness of rational drug use has been significantly enhanced."