The Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction (MARR) Coalition

Antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria is a rapidly growing problem that threatens global health. Inappropriate prescribing and overuse of antibiotics are important factors in the development of resistance. Multiple factors are known or suspected contribute to the widespread practice of inappropriate prescribing and overuse. Foremost among them are misguided consumer attitudes and unwarranted provider practices.

The Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction (MARR) Coalition is a broad coalition of local professional and community organizations and individuals built around the issue of unwarranted use of antibiotics in treating self-limiting respiratory ailments. We believe that a multi-disciplinary, multi-organizational campaign will be effective in addressing this problem. MARR was formed in 1997 and plans to capitalize on its resources and interrelationships to reach a maximum audience of consumers and health care providers.

The Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction Coalition (MARR) seeks to improve the use of antimicrobial agents and reduce antimicrobial resistance rates in health care facilities and communities throughout the state of Michigan through the collaborative efforts of academic, community, government, labor and industry partners. MARR seeks to accomplish this mission by serving as a catalyst and facilitator for programs of judicious antimicrobial use, and providing such programs; maintaining a repository of current and credible information about antimicrobial resistance; and participating in clinical interventions and research that will ensure improved antimicrobial use and reduce antimicrobial resistance.

MARR has launched a variety of consumer and provider education programs. In addition, they are supporting bipartisan federal legislation (S742/HR 2562) establishing a two-year phase out of non-therapeutic uses of 7 classes of medically important antibiotics in livestock and poultry (the bills do not have any impact on the therapeutic use of these drugs for animals).

New data from AHRQ's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey show that the proportion of children who were given an antibiotic specifically to treat otitis media declined from 14.4 percent in 1996 to 11.5 percent in 2001. The data also showed declines in both the percentage of children reported to have otitis media and the percentage of children whose parents sought treatment for the condition. The data also show that, between 1996 and 2001, the percentage of children in the United States age 14 and under who used an antibiotic for any reason during the year declined from 39 percent to 29 percent. In addition, the average number of antibiotic prescriptions used by all children age 14 and under during this period declined from 0.9 per child to 0.5 per child.