Sepsis (a dysregulated reaction of the body to infection with 50 million cases per year) must be treated with antibiotics as soon as it is suspected — ideally, within the first hour.

Antibiotics are thus easily administered at the slightest suspicion of infection, based solely on symptoms and in line with the latest international guidelines, despite bacterial infections being proven in only 30–40% of cases.

Inflammatory conditions with symptoms comparable to sepsis are often mistakenly treated with antibiotics. In addition, antibiotics are frequently given for the prevention of bacterial infections acquired in the hospital.

Consequently, it has been estimated that up to 50% of antibiotic prescriptions are inappropriate or unnecessary.

A way to reduce the burden of sepsis is to give timely, adequate antibiotics; and a way to reduce the burden of AMR is to withhold unnecessary antibiotics.

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