European Antibiotic Awareness Day Date in the current year: November 18, 2024

Antibiotics are antimicrobial substances that are widely used in the treatment or prevention of bacterial infections. They either outright kill bacteria or inhibit their growth. People have used substances that exhibit antibiotic properties since ancient times without really knowing why these substances were so effective but it wasn’t until the early 20th century that Alexander Fleming revolutionized medicine by discovering penicillin.

The discovery of antibiotics made it possible to treat infections that used to be fatal and save billions of lives. However, the effectiveness and widespread availability of antibiotics have led to their misuse. Antibiotics are useless against viral infections, yet a lot of people use them to treat the common cold and sore throat. The overuse of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and infections that were once easily treated are becoming increasingly fatal.

Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health threat on a global scale. According to the World Health Organization, it could cause an estimated 350 million deaths by 2050. This is why it is so important to raise awareness of the ways we can reduce our dependence on antibiotics; they include preventing infections by avoiding sick people and washing hands, taking antibiotics only when prescribed by a healthcare professional, never sharing your leftover antibiotics with someone else, avoiding foods that are made with antibiotics, etc.

The main goal of European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EEAD) is to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance. It was established in 2008 by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), an agency of the European Union tasked with strengthening Europe’s defenses against infections. Its network includes all EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. The date of November 18 was chosen because it falls during World Antimicrobial Awareness Week held by the World Health Organization.

On the occasion of European Antibiotic Awareness Day, the ECDC, healthcare organizations and professionals, and other stakeholders throughout Europe organize various events and activities that aim to educate the general public about the difference between bacterial and viral infections, combat common misconceptions about antibiotics, highlight the dangers of antimicrobial resistance, and raise awareness of the main ways to reduce our dependence on antibiotics.

You can observe European Antibiotic Awareness Day by participating in one of the EEAD events (many of them are digital, so you can join wherever you are), reading articles or watching documentaries about antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance to educate yourself, and getting involved on social media by posting with the hashtags #EuropeanAntibioticAwarenssDay, #EAAD and #AntimicrobialResistance.