World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2019

Today, 18 November, in Stockholm Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis kicks off the series of events organised on the occasion of the World Antibiotic Awareness Week  by delivering the opening speech at the 12th edition of the European Antibiotic Awareness Day. The event organised by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), with the support of the European Commission gathers stakeholders and professional organisations and will be marked by the presentation of a study on health workers’ knowledge and attitudes about antibiotics. Ahead of the event, Commissioner Andriukaitis said: “Since last year’s edition we have made some progress on the fight against antimicrobial resistance with, in particular, the adoption, in December 2018, of the new EU legislation on veterinary medicines and medicated feed. But we must step up our efforts as antimicrobial resistance will remain, for decades to come, a global threat: it is estimated that consequences of inaction could lead to 10 million deaths by 2050”.