10.07.24 - 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. The Action Plan promotes effective measures, defines national goals and supports the pursuit of innovative approaches to maintain the effectiveness of antibiotics for human and animal health.
10.07.24 - 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.
10.07.24 - 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).
10.07.24 - 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.
10.07.24 - 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.
10.07.24 - 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. Health professionals are now invited to suggest additional implementation aids to supplement the handbook.
28.02.2024 - 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.
06.11.23 - 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.
06.11.23 - 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.
06.11.23 - 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.
29.06.23 - 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.
02.02.23 - Almost one-fifth of Switzerland’s population took antibiotics in the course of last year. But what does the average Swiss know about these medicines? Or about the growing resistance problem? Do they use them correctly? A representative population survey identified knowledge gaps, that need to be filled.
02.02.23: 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.
02.02.23: 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.
02.02.23: 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.
02.02.23: Throughout the eighth instalment of the “World Antimicrobial Awareness Week”, from 18 to 24 November 2022, awareness was raised on the growing issue of antibiotic resistance. True to the theme of ‘Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together’, Switzerland was also active during this week. Below you will find a few highlights of the Swiss AntibioticAwareness Week 2022.
07.11.2022 - 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).
07.11.2022 - 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.
11.05.2022 - 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.
11.05.2022 - In the last two years SARS-CoV-2 has dominated activity at healthcare facilities. Other challenges, such as preventing and controlling multiresistant pathogens (MRPs) and monitoring newly emerging pathogens such as Candida auris, have taken a back seat.
11.05.2022 - Veterinarians must record prescriptions of antibiotics in the Information System on Antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine (IS ABV). After the report on livestock, the first report on data from dogs, cats and horses is now also available.
18.11.2021 - Nadine Metzger, former co-project leader StAR «Animal» at the FSVO, talks in the video about her personal insights and experiences after five years of implementing the StAR strategy.
18.11.2021 - Multi-resistant pathogens are a serious and increasing problem in today's medicine. Researchers at Empa and ETH Zurich have now developed a completely new method that allows multi-resistant pathogens to be killed in a targeted manner.
18.11.2021 - 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?
18.11.2021 - 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?
30.08.2021 - "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."
30.08.2021 - "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."
30.08.2021 - "Animal health is crucially important for sustainable animal production. Antibiotic use in agricultural animal husbandry has declined by 50 % in the last 10 years."
30.08.2021 - "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."
05.05.2021 - 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.
05.05.2021 - 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.
05.05.2021 - 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.
18.11.2020 - How is antibiotic consumption evolving in Switzerland? What is the situation regarding antibiotic contamination of waterbodies? And how badly is Switzerland affected by infections caused by resistant bacteria? The answers to these questions can be found in the Swiss Antibiotic Resistance Report 2020.
18.11.2020 - What do the public know about antibiotics and the development of antibiotic resistance? Are antibiotics used correctly? A representative survey highlights the knowledge gaps that need to be addressed.
18.11.2020 - 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.
09.09.2020 - 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.
