To enhance treatment outcomes, reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria, and preserve the effectiveness of “last resort” antibiotics that are needed when all others fail, WHO experts have grouped antibiotics into three categories in the biggest revision of the antibiotics section in the EML’s 40-year history!
ACCESS
ACCESS group should be available at all times as treatments for a wide range of common infections; it includes amoxicillin, a widely-used antibiotic to treat infections such as pneumonia.
WATCH
WATCH group includes antibiotics that are recommended as first- or second-choice treatments for a small number of infections. E.g, the use of ciprofloxacin, used to treat cystitis (a type of urinary tract infection) and upper respiratory tract infections (such as bacterial sinusitis and bacterial bronchitis), should be dramatically reduced to avoid further development of resistance
RESERVE
RESERVE, includes antibiotics such as colistin and some cephalosporins that should be considered last-resort options, and used only in the most severe circumstances when all other alternatives have failed, such as for life-threatening infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria.
http://who.int/medicines/publications/essentialmedicines/20th_EML2017.pdf?ua=1 (adults)
http://who.int/medicines/publications/essentialmedicines/6th_EMLc2017.pdf?ua=1 (children)
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