Evidence brief for policy – Promoting the appropriate use of antibiotics to contain antibiotic resistance in human medicine in Hungary (2018)

The Ministry of Human Capacities of Hungary commissioned a policy brief, to be published under the aegis of the WHO Evidence-informed Policy Network (EVIPNet) Europe, to develop evidence-informed options for the country to consider in tackling the problem of antibiotic misuse. The task was implemented in frame of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement (BCA) between the Ministry of Human Capacities and WHO, involving high level national policy institutions and national experts, supported by the technical experts of WHO Regional Office for Europe. The National Healthcare Service Center of Hungary convened a working group comprising representatives from the clinical field, pharmacology, public health and health care management. The working group identified, selected, appraised, and synthesized relevant research evidence on the problem, three options for tackling it and considerations in implementing them. The three options are: developing a national antibiotic stewardship programme, complemented by evidence-informed clinical guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of common infections; strengthening undergraduate and postgraduate medical, dental, and pharmacy education and training on the prudent use of antibiotics; and raising awareness of prudent antibiotic use through information campaigns, leaflets and interpersonal communication.