A study at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta revealed that over two years, 58,607 antibiotic doses were wasted, costing $255,503.

The top 10 wasted antibiotics included some in shortage, emphasizing the need for waste reduction.

Ampicillin was documented as the most wasted antibiotic; the other major drugs were clindamycin and cefazolin.

The majority of the waste was accounted for in the first two days of admissions.

While this study was conducted in a single setting, antibiotic waste is a concern in pediatric settings due to weight-based dosing.

Antibiotic waste affects patient care quality and adds financial burdens.

The following strategies can help reduce waste:

Optimizing empiric treatments

Hospitals can reduce their carbon footprint by minimizing drug waste, which contributes to healthcare-associated emissions.

Reducing antibiotic waste requires: