Welcome
Next meeting: Steering group meeting in Vilnius 29-30 May 2009.
FP6 programme: Scientific Support to Policies (SSP)
Project title: Health Alliance for Prudent Prescribing, Yield And Use of Anti-microbial Drugs In the Treatment of Respiratory Tract Infections
Acronym: HAPPY AUDIT
Project number: 044154
EC contribution: 1.492.300 €
Duration: 36 months
Starting date: 01/04/2007
Instrument: Specific Targeted Research Project (STREP)
Facts about the use of antibiotics for patients with respiratory tract infections:
- Most respiratory tract infections are caused by virus
- Most respiratory infections are not dangerous
- Very few respiratory infections are serious or life-threatening
- Only few respiratory infections need acute treatment
- Most prescriptions are issued for fear of serious infections – “just in case”
- Overuse of antibiotics may lead to an increased number of resistant bacteria
- Overuse of antibiotics may sometimes lead to deadly microbes: Killer Bacteria
US News and World Report, May 1999