Antibiotic resistance has an estimated
annual cost of 2.4 billion euros and represents a silent
pandemic that causes some 12,000 deaths from
antibiotic-resistant infections each year in Italy according to
the latest estimates released by the European Centre for Disease
Prevention and Control (ECDC), the President of medicine agency
Aifa Robert Nisticò said on Tuesday.
"Antibiotic resistance is a silent pandemic which, according to
the ECDC's latest estimates, not only causes 12,000 deaths a
year in our Country but also generates economic damages that are
worth 2.4 billion in annual costs for our National Healthcare
service alone, according to the same European agency's figures,
with 2,7 (hospital) beds occupied due to such infections", said
Nisticò.
The president of Aifa stressed that "this emergency requires a
global approach" promoting a "responsible antibiotic use" while
"strengthening prevention".
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