Reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions in primary care could generate savings of up to €151 million across the European Union, according to a study led by researchers from the Department of Quantitative Economic Methods at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), with the participation of researchers from the Jordi Gol Primary Care Research Institute (IDIAPJGol).

The study, published in The European Journal of Health Economics, analyses the economic impact of reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions in primary care using data from the European HAPPY PATIENT project, which was carried out in five European Union countries (Spain, France, Greece, Lithuania and Poland) and coordinated by IDIAPJGol and the Catalan Health Institute (ICS).

Excessive antibiotic prescribing

The study reveals that 72% of antibiotic prescriptions in primary care may be unnecessary, a practice that contributes to the development of antimicrobial resistance.

The findings highlight considerable room for improvement in optimising antibiotic prescribing in primary care consultations through the development of diagnostic tools that enable more effective identification of viral infections, as well as through awareness campaigns aimed at increasing public understanding of the issue.

In this regard, the Catalan Health Institute is currently working on the development of diagnostic precision tools to assess whether respiratory infections are caused by bacteria or viruses, with the aim of improving decision-making when prescribing treatments.

Reducing healthcare expenditure

According to the study, €2.7 billion are spent every year in primary care on treatments and healthcare resources associated with antibiotic prescriptions that may be unnecessary. The results show that implementing interventions to promote more appropriate antibiotic use could generate annual savings of €151 million across the European Union under a realistic scenario, a figure that could rise to €423 million under an optimistic scenario.

Laura Vallejo, a researcher in the Department of Quantitative Economic Methods at ULPGC and one of the study’s principal investigators, highlights that: “When an antibiotic is prescribed unnecessarily, it not only creates a public health problem, but also consumes resources that could be allocated to other healthcare needs. Our results show that reducing these unnecessary prescriptions could free up between €151 million and €423 million every year in Europe. These resources could be reinvested in interventions that improve patient health, contributing to more efficient and sustainable healthcare systems.”

One of the coordinators of the HAPPY PATIENT project, Carl Llor, states that: “Investing in programmes to improve antibiotic use would not only help reduce antimicrobial resistance and associated adverse effects, but would also contribute to lowering healthcare expenditure across European health systems.”

Article reference

Raynal Floriano F, Vallejo-Torres L, Elistratova M, González López-Valcárcel B, García-Sangenís A, Lykkegaard J, Hansen MP, Bjerrum L, Chalkidou A, Jensen JN, Rebnord I, Lindberg BH, Taxis K, Lambert M, Radzeviciene R, Jaruseviciene L, Touboul-Lundgren P, Bruno P, Lesage V, Kowalczyk A, Godycki-Cwirko M, Lionis C, Karkana M-, Anastasaki M, Hansen MB, Olsen JK, Søndergaard J, Modena D, Mally S, Álvarez L, Llor C. Estimating cost savings from reducing antibiotic overprescription in european general practices. Eur J Health Econ. 2026 Mar 21. doi: 10.1007/s10198-026-01899-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41862746.