Tracking global antibiotic spending between 2013 to 2023

Overview:  

Antibiotic overuse and misuse are major drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a serious global health threat. To prevent antibiotic misuse and overuse and encourage the development of new ones, researchers from the One Health Trust and partner institutions analyzed trends in the global antibiotic market. 

Using IQVIA MIDAS pharmaceutical sales data between 2013 and 2023 from 62 countries, researchers explored total and per capita spending on antibiotics. They also looked at differences in spending by antibiotic class and country income groups. 

They examined the key drivers of antibiotic spending, exploring associations with factors such as national income, healthcare spending, education levels, and access to healthcare services 

The Question:  

How has global antibiotic spending evolved between 2013 and 2023, and how do these spending patterns vary across countries and income groups? What country-level factors are associated with differences in antibiotic spending? 

The Findings:  

• Using data from IQVIA MIDAS, the researchers found that global spending on antibiotics fell from US$49.61 billion in 2013 to US$30.68 billion in 2023. Per person, spending dropped from US$12.08 to US$7.92. The cost per unit of antibiotics declined from US$0.85 to US$0.45.
• All country income groups saw a decline in spending, but high-income countries had the sharpest drop, bringing spending levels across countries closer together.
• In 2020, the amount spent on antibiotics fell sharply due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a small rebound afterward.
• Higher national income, health spending, older populations, and better access to clean water were linked to more antibiotic spending. However, higher education levels, more doctors, and stronger government institutions were linked to less spending per 1,000 people.

This study highlights that global spending on antibiotics has gone down over the last decade and is becoming more similar across countries. While this may reflect better antibiotic use in some places, more investment is needed to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and to develop new, effective antibiotics. 

Read the article in The Journal of Infectious Diseases here.