Trends in antimicrobial consumption: long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a global decrease in antimicrobial consumption (AMC) in 2020. This study examined the long-term trend in AMC using monthly sales volume data from 69 countries. Results showed that 68 of the 69 countries experienced changepoints between 2016 and 2023, with 61 experiencing a decrease after the pandemic. However, 53 showed a reverse increasing trend in 2022. ITSA revealed that movement restrictions negatively impacted AMC in all G7 countries. The study suggests that human mobility could be a key determinant of AMC use.