KDCA Publishes and Distributes Guidelines for 'Antibiotic Use Management Program'

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on the 27th that it will publish and distribute the 'Antibiotic Stewardship Program (ASP) Integrated Operation Guidelines' targeting tertiary and general hospitals to ensure the proper use and management of antibiotics in Korea.

Exterior view of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

ASP refers to a systematic antibiotic use support and management promotion system within medical institutions. These guidelines were prepared based on the policy research results of the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases and the Korean Society of Antimicrobial Therapy. They consist of basic principles for applying ASP and six core elements for implementation.

Although the use of human antibiotics in Korea has been steadily decreasing, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency explained that in 2020, the domestic antibiotic consumption was 21.0 DID (defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day), ranking 4th among OECD countries, which remains high.

Inappropriate use of antibiotics is considered a major cause of drug side effects and antibiotic resistance. In Korea, a 2019 nationwide quality evaluation of antibiotic prescriptions in medical institutions found that 26.1% of all antibiotic prescriptions were inappropriate. Additionally, a survey on antibiotic awareness among physicians last year showed that overall awareness of ASP was low, and more than 40% of doctors admitted to prescribing antibiotics even when they were unnecessary.

The newly developed guidelines will be posted on the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s website early next month, and printed copies will be distributed to medical institutions through related academic societies and associations. Ji Young-mi, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, stated, "We expect that providing correct information for doctors’ antibiotic prescriptions in clinical settings will reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and patients’ medical costs, thereby improving medical quality and patient safety."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.