Grant: Project Grant

Antibiotics are one of the most important types of medicines available today. They are unique because they not only treat symptoms, but can also cure patients' infections altogether. Unfortunately antibiotics are becoming less effective as resistant bacteria, which are immune to their effects, become more common. Understanding what is causing bacterial resistance, and making sure that antibiotics are used responsibly is the most important global health crisis of the twentieth century. The provinces of Ontario and British Columbia have examined the quantity of antibiotics used for over a decade. However, this project will be the first to evaluate the quality of antibiotics prescribed. The concept of appropriate prescribing is an important and unexplored aspect of the problem. Understanding both the quantity and quality of antibiotic use is necessary in order to design effective interventions and make sure antibiotics are still useful for future generations of Canadians.