The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) announced that the Swiss Antibiotic Resistance Report 2024 (SARR 2024) shows progress in the management of antibiotics, particularly in veterinary medicine, where the use of antibiotics, especially critically important antibiotics (CIAs), has been significantly reduced. However, there is still room for improvement in human medicine, particularly in prescribing practices and regional disparities. Despite the decrease in veterinary medicine, antibiotic use in human medicine has increased again after the COVID-19 pandemic and has returned to levels similar to those seen in 2019.

Monitoring the development of antibiotic resistance remains a central tool in the strategy to combat antibiotic resistance, also focusing on areas such as wastewater treatment and veterinary therapeutic guidelines. It is expected that by 2040, 70% of wastewater will be treated with additional purification stages to further reduce environmental contamination from antibiotics. The current rate is around 15%.

To sustain these advancements, the One Health Action Plan, the Swiss Antibiotic Resistance Strategy (Strategie Antibiotikaresistenzen Schweiz, StAR) 2024-2027, has been developed to promote close collaboration among authorities, professionals, and institutions in the fight against antibiotic resistance. Additionally, a revision of the Epidemics Act (EpdiA) is being pursued to strengthen long-term monitoring and prevention, as well as to support the development of new antibiotics.

For more information, see here.