title: [Optimizing antibiotics use policy in the Netherlands. I. The Netherlands Antibiotics Policy Foundation (SWAB)].
abstract: The worldwide problem of antibiotic resistance of bacteria is a point of concern in the Netherlands as well. Responsible use of existing antibiotics was the incentive to establish a foundation, with the acronym SWAB, the primary goal of which is to optimize the use of antibiotics in the Netherlands in order to diminish the development of antibiotic resistance. One of the SWAB projects is the development of national guidelines for the use of antibiotics in hospitals. These guidelines are prepared by a committee of experts and reviewed by external consultants: infectious disease specialists, medical microbiologists and pharmacists. The revised version of the guidelines is submitted for publication in this journal. The SWAB hopes that these guidelines will make the prevention of antibiotic resistance a major factor in the choice of the antibiotic. Streamlining antibiotic therapy is an important tool in this respect.
authors.affiliation: Academisch Ziekenhuis, afd. Inwendige Geneeskunde, Nijmegen.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: van Kasteren
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wijnands
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Stobberingh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Janknegt
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Verbrugh
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: van der Meer
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000592:standards*; D005582:Foundations / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007882:Legislation, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D009426:Netherlands; D011050:Policy Making; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
vernacular_title: Optimaliseren van het antibioticabeleid in Nederland. I. De Stichting Werkgroep Antibioticabeleid (SWAB).