Nation must control the circulation of antibiotics

THE AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL consumption of antibiotics in China is more than five times that in developed countries. To curb the abuse of antibiotics in China, the government should make it more expensive and difficult for the people to obtain antibiotics, Beijing News said on Sunday.

In 2013, China consumed 162,000 tons of antibiotics, 48 percent of which was used by humans, the rest by livestock. Chinese people consume about 138 grams of antibiotics per person every year on average, nearly 10 times that of people in the United States. Not including the residue of livestock antibiotics in food, which is hard to measure.

The outcome of this is bacteria are developing greater resistance to antibiotics. The public health authority must strengthen supervision and administration of the grassroots clinics in villages. Statistics show the abuse of antibiotics in grassroots clinics is most worrisome.