StAR Newsletter

Stakeholders are driving forward the implementation of the One Health Action Plan 2024 – 2027 of the Swiss Strategy on Antibiotic Resistance (StAR)

10.11.2025 - On 19 September 2025, a cross-sectoral stakeholder workshop was held in Bern as part of the Swiss Strategy on Antibiotic Resistance (StAR). Around 50 stakeholders from administration, research, and practice participated, representing the human health, animal health, agriculture, and environmental sectors. The focus was on implementing the StAR One Health Action Plan, adopted by the Federal Council in June 2024. The aim was to share experiences, exchange knowledge, and develop concrete solutions for future implementation.

Study shows: Antibiotic prescribing often not in line with national guidelines

10.11.2025 - According to an analysis of over 52,000 antibiotic prescriptions within the Sentinella network, one in five prescriptions deviate from the national guidelines, especially for sinusitis and pharyngitis. In spite of the introduction of new national guidelines in 2019, only limited improvements have been seen.

What are the tasks of the NARA?

26.06.2025 - The Swiss National Reference Center for Emerging Antibiotic Resistance (NARA) collects multidrug-resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria recovered across all Switzerland. Its main tasks are to identify corresponding resistance mechanisms, either already known or newly emerging, and to alert the stakeholders about any clinically significant threat. Furthermore, NARA aims to support clinical labs in their surveillance task by developing diagnostic tests and support epidemiological investigations at the country level.

First Swiss monitoring of antimicrobial stewardship

16.06.2025 - Monitoring carried out in 2024 shows that 86% of hospitals have antimicrobial stewardship activities in place. The majority of these hospitals monitor antibiotic use and have evidence-based guidelines for antibiotic treatment or perioperative antibiotic use. Half of the hospitals with stewardship activities report having a formal antimicrobial stewardship program.

©Les aventures du Schnafoul'Club / Publisher: L'Agora d'Hypatie

Les aventures du Schnafoul’Club: BL’enquête de veau: a kids’ comic-book blend of fun, science, and public health

10.03.2025 - Canton Geneva teamed up with the Agora d’Hypatie publishing house to make an unusual contribution to WAAW 2024: a comic book on antibiotic resistance including aspects of One Health aimed at 8-year-olds.

Mystery pathogen quiz

10.03.2025 - Test your microbiology knowledge with this new quiz, designed by the University of Zurich to highlight five pathogens that play a significant role in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These microorganisms challenge healthcare by resisting antibiotic treatments. Prove your expertise and learn more about these impactful microorganisms.

Healthcare professionals in a meeting (iStock)

Stewardship implementation tools: winning projects

10.03.2025 - The StAR-3 project aims to offer a comprehensive handbook to support the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes in hospitals. To develop relevant implementation tools, a call for project proposals was conducted. Of the 22 projects submitted, seven receive financial support. The resulting implementation tools will be made available to hospitals as part of the comprehensive handbook at the end of 2026.

Synthesis workshop on resourcing projects around antibiotics in agriculture

10.03.2025 - On 23 October 2024, a synthesis workshop was held on ongoing and recently completed resourcing projects run by the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) around the topic of antibiotics in agriculture. The project organisations of the three resourcing projects «Sanierung der von Staphylokokkus aureus Genotyp B (SAGB) verursachten Mastitis» (cleaning up mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus genotype B (SAGB), «Kälbergesundheitsdienst» (calf health service) and «Kometian» exchanged experiences, lessons learned and challenges for the future. The aim was to find out how the positive results of the individual resourcing projects can be disseminated and thus generate a long-term impact in terms of reducing the need for antibiotics beyond the duration of the resourcing projects.

2024 population survey on antibiotic resistance

11.11.2024 - Antibiotics are indispensable in modern medicine. But just how often are they taken in Switzerland? What do the people of Switzerland know about the correct use of antibiotics, the risks they entail and antibiotic resistance?

Comparative analyses of antibiotic use in dogs, cats and equines in veterinary practices

11.11.2024 - In summer 2024, for the first time since the Swiss veterinary antibiotic information system (IS ABV) was introduced, veterinarians received a report on antibiotic prescribing in dogs, cats and equines in their practice or clinic. This practice-specific report will allow inter-practice comparisons of antibiotic usage in 2022 and 2023.

Review of a decisive moment: the UN High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance

11.11.2024 - The UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was held on 26 September 2024 at the UN Headquarters in New York. The FOPH was represented in the Swiss delegation led by Thomas Gürber, Deputy State Secretary at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. This was the second time that leaders from around the world had met at this level to tackle the global threat of drug-resistant infections.

Antimicrobial stewardship – call for project proposals

10.07.2024 - The StAR-3 project on Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) aims to offer a comprehensive handbook to support the implementation of ASPs in hospitals. The first edition of the ASP handbook was recently published. Infectiologists, experts in infection prevention and control, pharmacists, microbiologists, and other healthcare professionals are now invited to suggest additional implementation aids to supplement the handbook.

Participants at the “Visualizing the Resistance” workshop involving citizens to discover antibiotic inhibition effects through creative approaches (MAKEAWARE! December 2023).

Fighting antimicrobial resistance with the collaboration of citizens

10.07.2024 - The transition to patient-centric healthcare emphasizes patient participation in research and innovation, leveraging co-design and human-centered principles for collaborative healthcare solutions. In this direction, the MAKEAWARE! initiative, part of the flagship project SPEARHEAD and promoted by Innouisse, aims to empower citizens as active contributors in limiting Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) through experiential workshops and digital tools based on crowd data collection and science engagement strategies.

Information board: GP needs information on whether to treat a potentially self-limiting infectious disease with or without antibiotics.

When should – and shouldn’t – antibiotics be prescribed?

10.07.2024 - Time and again, doctors face the dilemma: should or shouldn’t they prescribe antibiotics for their patients? The Bern Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM) has been steadily developing tools since 2020 that should help GPs make such decisions in their daily professional lives. These tools have been available for five common conditions since 2023. And they’re being increasingly embraced within the medical world.

Participants at the first ASAP meeting in Fribourg on 18 April 2024.

ASAP: promoting good antibiotic prescription practice in ambulatory care

10.07.2024 - Switzerland’s Antimicrobial Stewardship in Ambulatory Care Platform (ASAP) is intended to promote good practices in the prescription of antibiotics in the country’s ambulatory care sector and, in the longer term, to help reduce antibiotic resistance nationwide. The platform has been established under the broader Swiss Strategy on Antibiotic Resistance (StAR) and developed in collaboration with the College of Primary Care Medicine (CPCM).

Availability of new antibacterial drugs in Switzerland: How do we compare with other countries?

10.07.2024 - New antibacterial drugs can save lives. Between 2010 and 2020, in the US, Canada, Europe and Japan, a total of 18 new antibacterial drugs were first approved and launched in at least one country. An analysis shows, however, that – even in high-income countries, including Switzerland – many of these new substances are launched with a time lag or not at all.

The directors of the FOPH, FSVO, FOAG and FOEN

Binding, innovative and sustainable: One Health Action Plan for StAR 2024 – 2027

10.07.2024 - Antibiotic resistance continues to grow worldwide, increasingly threatening the effectiveness of antibiotics used to treat infections and placing a financial burden on health systems. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) forecasts, the resulting additional health costs for Switzerland will amount to CHF 102–444 million per year by 2050. On 26.06.2024, the One Health Action Plan for the Swiss Strategy on Antibiotic Resistance (StAR) 2024 – 2027 was adopted by the Federal Council. The federal measures successfully implemented under StAR since 2016 will thus be further strengthened.

Mission Antibiotix helps WAAW 2023 to success

28.02.2024 - The 2023 World AMR Awareness Week was another success, thanks to the commitment and the creativity of its participating organisations. The centres for hygiene and infection prevention and control of Canton Vaud (HPCi Vaud) and the Canton Vaud University Hospital (CHUV) teamed up to devise ‹Mission Antibiotix›, an online game that sensitises players to the whole issue of antibiotic resistance and correct antibiotic treatments.

New ideas for combating antibiotic resistance

13.11.2023 - What priorities should the national Strategy on Antibiotic Resistance (StAR) focus on in the coming years? The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) discussed this question with experts from various disciplines. The inputs from the workshop will be incorporated in the One Health Action Plan 2024 – 27.

Consortium launches national antimicrobial stewardship project

06.11.2023 - Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASP) are important for optimizing the use of antibiotics in the inpatient sector. A consortium of seven organizations has therefore started a project to support Swiss hospitals in starting and improving such programs.

Rational antibiotic therapy in paediatric practice

06.11.2023 - Antibiotics are among the most frequently used drugs in paediatric and adolescent medicine. Data from Germany, the United States and Switzerland show that the majority of antibiotic prescriptions in paediatrics and adolescent medicine are for respiratory tract infections. It is estimated that in one-third of these cases, the use of antibiotics is unnecessary. This is where rational therapy comes in: only children and adolescents who are likely to benefit from such a therapy should be treated with antibiotics.

New web applications from ANRESIS

06.11.2023 - ANRESIS is a representative national monitoring system and research tool for antibiotic resistance and antibiotic consumption. In addition to the anresis.ch website, a newly programmed web application called the ANRESIS Guide and an interactive dashboard for monitoring in-hospital antibiotic consumption are available to Swiss doctors.

Reducing antibiotic use and increasing patient satisfaction

02/2023 - Antibiotics are still being prescribed too often in Switzerland. But tools are now available to assist general practitioners with shared decisions on whether to prescribe antibiotics. They help the doctor to advise their patients and are also suitable for further training in quality circles. A research team from the Institute of Primary Health Care in Bern recently received an award from the Swiss Society for General Internal Medicine for this innovative tool.

Detecting new forms of antibiotic resistance

02/2023 - Multidrug-resistant pathogens pose an increasing risk to public health. To contain the spread of these types of bacteria, it is important to detect them early on. In Switzerland, this is done by the national reference laboratory for early detection and surveillance of new forms of antibiotic resistance (NARA).

NRP 72: New solutions to combat antibiotic resistance

02/2023 - Improving the effectiveness of antibiotics, curbing resistance: researchers working on the “Antimicrobial Resistance” national research programme (NRP 72) have presented numerous new findings and instruments at a conference and discussed these with representatives of practitioners and policymakers.

Fattening calves in the fresh air

11/2022 - Reducing antibiotic consumption and improving animal welfare for the same fattening efficiency – the «outdoor calf» research project being conducted by the Vetsuisse faculty at the University of Bern shows that this can be achieved in calf fattening. Find out more in this guest article by Jens Becker.

Report on consumption of antibiotics by pets

05/2022 - Veterinarians must record prescriptions of antibiotics in the Information System on Antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine (IS ABV), which they have implemented quickly and reliably. After the report on livestock, the first report on data from dogs, cats and horses is now also available. It contains an overview of quantities of antibiotics, the number of prescriptions and the number of animals treated.

Keeping multiresistant pathogens under control

05/2022 - In the last two years SARS-CoV-2 has dominated activity at healthcare facilities. Other challenges, such as preventing and controlling multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) and monitoring newly emerging pathogens such as Candida auris, have taken a back seat. Swissnoso has recently published new guidelines for hospitals on these matters.

Tools for antibiotic prescribing

05/2022 - There is still room for improvement when it comes to prescribing antibiotics in outpatient settings. As part of the Strategy on Antibiotic Resistance (StAR), various tools have been developed for doctors for this purpose.

Are we prepared for the silent pandemic of antibiotic resistance?

11/2021 - Overshadowed by COVID-19, antibiotic resistance continues to spread worldwide. The development of new antibiotics could help to solve the problem – but is enough being done currently? Experts invited by GARDP, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to develop and bring to market new antibiotics, discussed this question.

Resistant bacteria on raw chicken

11/2021 - Resistant bacteria can be transmitted to humans from food and animals. Where is the risk greatest and how can consumers be motivated to reduce this risk? A research project conducted as part of NFP 72 «Antimicrobial resistance» provides answers to these questions.

Healthy animals need fewer antibiotics

11/2021 – Nadine Metzger, former co-project manager for the implementation of StAR Animal at the FSVO, shares her personal insights and experiences after five years of implementing the strategy.

Interview with Christian Hofer, Director of the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG)

08/2021 - "Animal health is crucially important for sustainable animal production. Antibiotic use in agricultural animal husbandry has declined by 50 % in the last 10 years."

Interview with Hans Wyss, Director of the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO)

08/2021 - "Reducing resistance to antibiotics is a huge challenge, and we will be successful only if the offices responsible for human medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture and the environment work together."

Interview with Katrin Schneeberger, Director of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)

08/2021 - "The fight against COVID-19 and against antibiotic resistance also highlights the importance of the One Health strategy, which aims to improve human and animal health in an intact environment."

Interview with Anne Lévy, Director of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)

08/2021 - "As a proponent of the One Health approach I would say that the StAR strategy has great significance for me and the FOPH. It’s a first successful step in terms of interdisciplinary prevention in Switzerland."

Resistant germs in horses

05/2021 - Infections in horses are often treated with antibiotics. Bacteria can mutate and become resistant to active substances. One example of this is wound infections with MRSA germs which impair wound healing.

ReLait – reducing antibiotics in dairy farming

05/2021 - The Canton of Fribourg seeks to reduce antibiotic use in dairy farming. Its ReLait project focuses on prevention measures in udder health, uterine health and calf health.

Antimicrobial Stewardship - the responsible use of antibiotics in human medicine

05/2021 - In the video with Julia Bielicki, MD, and Prof. Andreas Widmer, MD, you will learn what an antimicrobial stewardship programme is and how they are implemented in hospitals. One of the aims of the strategy is for antibiotics to be used responsibly in human medicine. Hospitals are required to introduce programmes to ensure the best possible use of antibiotics.

«Effective antibiotics are important for our future»

11/2020 - The new report on consumption and resistance of antibiotics in humans and animals in Switzerland has been published. Despite many measures and successes that have been implemented, further efforts are needed to contain antibiotic resistance. Watch the video with Stefan Kuster, Head of Communicable Diseases FOPH.

Healthy hooves – less antibiotics

11/2020 - Healthy hooves are essential to successful cattle-raising. With its «Healthy hooves – a firm foundation for the future» project, Switzerland is seeking among other things to bring about a long-term reduction in the use of antibiotics and disinfectants containing heavy metals.

Is the Strategy on Antibiotic Resistance on the right path?

09/2020 - Implementation of the Strategy on Antibiotic Resistance is being monitored by a formative evaluation over the course of about four years. Thereafter, an interim evaluation will allow any necessary amendments to the strategy and its implementation to be made.

Report on the use of antibiotics in animals

09/2020 - The government has taken various measures to curb the increase in antibiotic resistance. Records have already been kept for a long time on the quantity of antibiotics sold, for instance. The Information System on Antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine (IS ABV) was set up to provide more precise details of the consumption of antibiotics in individual animal species and types of use. Veterinarians are required to enter all prescriptions for antibiotics for pets and livestock in this system. The second report with comprehensive, detailed information on the use of antibiotics is now available.

Recording antibiotic prescriptions in veterinary medicine

09/2020 - The Information System on Antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine (IS ABV) records all antibiotic treatments administered by veterinarians. The IS ABV allows the causes of high antibiotic deployment to be investigated and for targeted measures to be developed.