Critical antimicrobial resistance up 25%, GPs urged to lead stewardship
17 Feb 2026
The report, which collects data from general practices, hospitals, and aged care facilities, warns that antimicrobial resistance is “threatening the foundation” of the healthcare system. Resistant infections can make treatment more complex, prolong illness, and increase pressure on hospital resources.
Professor Mark Morgan, Chair of the RACGP Expert Committee – Quality Care, described antimicrobial resistance as “the silent pandemic of our age”. He said superbugs are no longer rare hospital-acquired infections; more patients are arriving in hospitals with hard-to-treat infections. Globally, antibiotic resistance was linked to an estimated 4.71 million deaths in 2021.
GP prescribing key
The AURA report shows most antimicrobials in the community (87%) are prescribed by GPs under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). In 2024, 23.2 million antimicrobial prescriptions were supplied to around 37% of Australians under the PBS and Repatriation PBS. This is a 4.8% increase from 2023, but still below 2019 and 2015 levels, showing some positive trends despite recent rises.
The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were amoxicillin (22%), cefalexin (21.7%), amoxicillin–clavulanic acid (14.6%), and doxycycline (11.5%).
Professor Morgan emphasised that GPs play a central role in antimicrobial stewardship. “We continue to use antimicrobials in much larger amounts than similar countries. GPs can help patients understand when antibiotics are necessary and guide low-value or potentially harmful prescribing,” he said.
Hospital and aged care concerns
In hospitals, less than half (45%) of post-surgery antibiotics were deemed appropriate, while 88.1% of last-line antibiotics were used correctly. First- or second-line treatments were appropriately prescribed about 72% of the time.
Community antibiotic use is rising in aged care, with 14.4% more prescriptions for older Australians in 2024 compared to 2023. Alarmingly, 34.7% of these prescriptions were used for more than six months. Multidrug-resistant bacteria were also detected in 12.2% of bloodstream infections in children.
Coordinated action needed
A CDC spokesperson said the findings highlight the need to focus on high-pressure areas where antibiotics are overused, even when benefits are unclear. The report calls for:
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Strong adherence to antimicrobial guidelines
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Careful assessment of infection, treatment duration, and documentation
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Targeted stewardship programs such as prescriber training, audits, and decision-support tools
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Reducing unnecessary or inappropriate antibiotic use
The report also notes surveillance gaps, including private prescriptions, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services, over-the-counter supplies, and community pharmacy prescribing programs. Addressing these blind spots is critical to fully understand and respond to antimicrobial resistance.
“National surveillance matters,” the CDC spokesperson said. “By detecting risks through real data, Australia can act before resistance becomes widespread.”
https://www1.racgp.org.au/
Source: Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC)