Mark your calendar for this year’s European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD).

European Antibiotic Awareness Day takes place ever year on 18 November to raise awareness about the threat to public health from antibiotic resistance and the importance of prudent use of antibiotics.

The latest data confirms that across the European Union the number of patients infected by resistant bacteria is increasing and that resistance is a major threat to public health.

Prudent use of antibiotics can help stop resistant bacteria from developing and keep antibiotics effective for future generations.

Fighting antimicrobial resistance is a priority for EFSA. Our scientists are working with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on the latest annual report on resistance levels in bacteria found in humans, food and animals.

In 2019, EFSA will also publish a review of current monitoring methods of AMR in animals and food and recommend improvements. EFSA’s Panel on Biological Hazards will start work on evaluating the role of the environment in the emergence and spread of AMR through the food chain.