Analysis of the Current Situation of Antibiotics Use in China: A Hospital-Based Perspective

Objective: To investigate the present situation of antibiotics use in selected hospitals in China according to 2 indicators: hospital-based market sales and frequency of usage; based on this information, to assess the government's containment policies toward antibiotics overuse. Methods: Marketing and clinical usage data of antibiotics in 420 selected hospitals from 21 major cities and 1 district in China during 2008-2011 were collected and analyzed. Usage frequency was measured by the defined daily dose (DDD) analytic approaches recommended by World Health Organization (WHO), and the growth rate of DDDs per patient was compared for 3 categories of antibiotics: nonlimited (first line), limited (second line), and specially controlled (third line). Results: During the period studied, an obvious slowdown was observed in both sales value and the growth of sales volume for the 3 categories. With respect to frequency, both limited-level and specially controlled level antibiotics with high cost and low safety and effectiveness showed an evident decline in the growth rate of DDDs per patient (P < .05). However, no significant decline was found for nonlimited antibiotics (P > .05). Conclusion: The Chinese government's containment policies toward antibiotics overuse are beginning to take effect, and antibiotics usage has become more measured in major cities. However, China still has a long way to go before it can win the battle against antibiotics overuse and drug resistance.