McMaster researchers help overhaul WHO antibiotic guidelines

The World Health Organization is releasing guidelines on antibiotic use for health-care providers, which McMaster researchers led by Mark Loeb played an important role in developing.

The new Access, Watch, Reserve (AWaRe) Antibiotic Book aims to help clinicians prescribe the correct type and dosage of medications for the 30 most commonly seen infections in children and adults.

The WHO also launched a free app for the AWaRe guidebook on Dec. 8, through health technology company Firstline, based in Vancouver.

It comes as the WHO warns of the growing danger of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide, driven by the overuse and incorrect use of antibiotics.

AWaRe will offer clear guidance to clinicians working in low- or middle-income countries, where such recommendations are often lacking, the WHO says.

“This book is an extremely important step in providing practical guidance for antibiotic use to a global audience,” said Loeb, a professor of pathology and molecular medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

The best antibiotics for AWaRe were chosen by analyzing the results of randomized control trials, Loeb said.

Prescribing antibiotics correctly can be complex, but AMR kills five million people every year, making it more deadly than malaria and HIV/AIDS combined, according to WHO statistics.

“Stewardship is an essential component in the global response to AMR, alongside drug discovery and increased access to medicines,” said Clive Ondari, WHO director of health product policy and standards.

“The AWaRe Antibiotic Book is an important and immediately actionable reference. The app version on Firstline significantly increases access, and we hope it will be used by prescribers everywhere.”

Free access to the WHO’s gold standard global guidance through Firstline is a watershed moment for many doctors looking for the best prescribing guidance for antibiotics, said Mike Long, Firstline’s chief clinical officer.

“National action plans on AMR have existed in many countries for years — but using the WHO’s prescribing guidance is an action that doctors in every country can take today, to play their own part in the fight against AMR and begin to move the needle on AMR.”