Key issues in developing antibiotic policies: from an institutional level to Europe-wide. European Study Group on Antibiotic Policy (ESGAP), Subgroup III.

Establishment of a rational antibiotic policy (RAP) is a key issue for both better care of patients and combating antimicrobial resistance [1-5]. The problem of rational antibiotic use is complex [6,7] and requires co-ordination of the activities of healthcare authorities, institutions and individual practitioners. Furthermore, on a community basis, it involves restriction of non-human usage of antibiotics [8] and awareness of society about both the useful and harmful effects of antibiotics [9] and, on a national basis, participation of governmental [10] and non-governmental [11] organizations in collaboration with European and international medical societies [12-14]. The rational use of antibiotics should be established in both hospital and ambulatory settings [10]. Institutional, regional, national and global aspects of antibiotic policies should be considered [2].