Despite having very similar climates, levels of wealth, and cultural habits the annual per capita rates of community antibiotic dispensing (defined daily doses per 1,000 population/day) are dramatically different between the Netherlands (7.6), Germany (8.1), Denmark (12.6), Luxembourg (14.6), Belgium (16) and France (19.9).

These different rates of antibiotic dispensing do not reflect different rates of disease due to treatable bacterial pathogens, but instead reflect different rates of inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections and other conditions for which antibiotics have nil or trivial effects.

We should expect high rates of antibiotic dispensing in those populations in Aotearoa who have high rates of disease due to treatable bacterial pathogens. We should not expect similar rates of antibiotic dispensing in those populations who do not have high rates of disease due to treatable bacterial pathogens.

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