Antibiotic consumption rate in Italy

Italy: Antibiotic consumption rate was 25.36 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
25.36 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day
Change on year
up 5.1%
World rank
12th
of 46 countries
All-time high
26.26 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day
in 2016
All-time low
19.77 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day
in 2021
Years of data
8
2016–2023

Antibiotic consumption rate in Italy, 2016–2023

01020302016201920232016: 26.3 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day2017: 23.1 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day2018: 23.7 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day2019: 24.1 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day2020: 20.6 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day2021: 19.8 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day2022: 24.1 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day2023: 25.4 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day

Source: WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day.

Analysis

The most recent figure for antibiotic consumption rate in Italy is 25.36 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.1% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.

Italy ranks 12th of 46 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 24.27 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day 23.06 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day 26.26 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day 4
2020s 22.47 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day 19.77 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day 25.36 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day 4

Countries ranked near Italy

  1. 9 South Africa 29.52 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day compare
  2. 10 Tanzania 29.25 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day compare
  3. 11 Spain 25.54 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day compare
  4. 13 Malta 24.98 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day compare
  5. 14 France 24.54 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day compare
  6. 15 Georgia 24.44 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day compare

See the full ranking of 46 places →

More economy & growth data for Italy

All data for Italy →

Frequently asked questions

What is antibiotic consumption rate in Italy?
Antibiotic consumption rate in Italy was 25.36 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day in 2023, according to WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest antibiotic consumption rate recorded in Italy?
The highest recorded value was 26.26 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day in 2016.
What is the lowest antibiotic consumption rate recorded in Italy?
The lowest recorded value was 19.77 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day in 2021.
How does Italy rank for antibiotic consumption rate?
Italy ranks 12th out of 46 countries with data for 2023.
Is antibiotic consumption rate rising or falling in Italy?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Italy data come from?
The figures come from WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Antibiotic consumption rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Antibiotic consumption rate
Unit
defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day
Source
WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
46 places, 344 data points, 2016–2023
Last refreshed

Total defined daily doses of antibiotics and antituberculosis drugs used in a given year per 1,000 inhabitants per day.