Call for caution over antibiotics overuse in Belgium

Belgium must stop doling out so many prescriptions for antibiotics, the country’s health insurance body Inami has warned.It says that by 2025, the aim is to decrease antibiotics use by 43%. This measure is essential, as the consequences of antibiotics use are significant. Every year, more than 35,000 people in Europe die from an infection caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.The health impact in Europe of such resistance is therefore as great as that of influenzas, tuberculosis and HIV/Aids combined. Inami sent a letter earlier this month to all general practitioners in Belgium who have prescribed antibiotics to their patients over the la…