Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest rates of antibiotic utilization in the country. In 2016, the national average for antibiotic prescriptions was 635 prescriptions per 1000 people; in Newfoundland and Labrador, the rate was 955.
Overuse leads to the development of resistant, hard-to-treat infections. The WHO has declared that antibiotic resistance is a global issue that poses a major public health risk.
Since 2016, QCNL/CWNL has partnered with Choosing Wisely Canada to make the public, health care providers, and health care decision makers more aware of the potential harms associated with overuse.
Our campaigns have focused on national prescribing guidelines and recommendations, the appropriate use of antibiotics, alternatives to antibiotics prescribing, and more!
Talk to your doctor. Ask, ‘Do I really need antibiotics?’
Choose Wisely.