Study confirms Greeks overuse antibiotics
Contrary to popular belief, Greeks’ usage of prescription drugs is more or less on a par with the European average, a new survey has found, though the figures also confirm the country’s very high consumption of antibiotics.
The study, carried out by the country’s Institute of Health Economics (i-hecon), compared data from European members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The figures, representing “defined daily doses,” or DDD, are from 2017, with Greece recording the highest level of antibiotic consumption at 32.1 DDD per 1,000 people, against an average of 18.
However, Greeks made lower-than-average use of painkillers and blood pressure medicine, as well as drugs for musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal complaints.
Experts said that differences in consumption levels can be attributed to countries’ different health profiles and medical practices.
