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Deadweight loss of bacterial resistance due to overtreatment

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  • Elamin H. Elbasha

Abstract

Widespread use of antibiotics is considered the major driving force behind the development of antibiotic resistance. The benefits of exceeding the welfare‐maximizing level of antibiotic use are below the costs of resistance created by this excess quantity of antibiotics used, thereby resulting in a welfare deadweight loss. This paper uses a simple economic model to examine the theoretical and empirical aspects of the welfare loss generated by resistance and analyzes its policy implications. The annual deadweight loss associated with outpatient prescriptions for amoxicillin in the United States is estimated at $225 million. Published in 2002 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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  • Elamin H. Elbasha, 2003. "Deadweight loss of bacterial resistance due to overtreatment," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 12(2), pages 125-138, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:12:y:2003:i:2:p:125-138
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.702
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    Cited by:

    1. Klaus Kaier & S. Moog, 2012. "Economic Consequences of the Demography of MRSA Patients and the Impact of Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobials," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 10(4), pages 227-234, July.
    2. Herrmann, Markus & Gaudet, Gérard, 2009. "The economic dynamics of antibiotic efficacy under open access," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(3), pages 334-350, May.
    3. Lina Maria Ellegård & Jens Dietrichson & Anders Anell, 2018. "Can pay‐for‐performance to primary care providers stimulate appropriate use of antibiotics?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(1), pages 39-54, January.
    4. David H. Howard, 2004. "Resistance‐induced antibiotic substitution," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 13(6), pages 585-595, June.
    5. Markus Herrmann & Bruno Nkuiya, 2017. "Inducing optimal substitution between antibiotics under open access to the resource of antibiotic susceptibility," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(6), pages 703-723, June.
    6. Batabyal, Sanjana S. & Batabyal, Amitrajeet A., 2018. "Medical decision-making by patients and providers under uncertainty and in the presence of antibiotic resistance," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 604-613.
    7. Thomas Heister & Christian Hagist & Klaus Kaier, 2015. "Resistance Elasticity of Antibiotic Demand in Intensive Care," WHU Working Paper Series - Economics Group 15-01, WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management.
    8. Amitrajeet A. Batabyal & Peter Nijkamp, 2005. "Alternate strategies for managing resistance to antibiotics and pesticides," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 7(1), pages 39-51, March.
    9. M. Filippini & G. Masiero, 2012. "An empirical analysis of habit and addiction to antibiotics," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 471-486, April.
    10. Farasat A.S. Bokhari & Franco Mariuzzo & Weijie Yan, 2019. "Antibacterial resistance and the cost of affecting demand: the case of UK antibiotics," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) 2019-03, Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    11. Stacherl, Barbara & Renner, Anna-Theresa & Weber, Daniela, 2023. "Financial incentives and antibiotic prescribing patterns: Evidence from dispensing physicians in a public healthcare system," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 321(C).
    12. Filippini, Massimo & Masiero, Giuliano & Moschetti, Karine, 2006. "Socioeconomic determinants of regional differences in outpatient antibiotic consumption: Evidence from Switzerland," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(1), pages 77-92, August.
    13. Albert, Jason, 2021. "Strategic dynamics of antibiotic use and the evolution of antibiotic-resistant infections," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    14. Giuliano Masiero & Massimo Filippini & Matus Ferech & Herman Goossens, 2007. "Determinants of outpatient antibiotic consumption in Europe: bacterial resistance and drug prescribers," Quaderni della facoltà di Scienze economiche dell'Università di Lugano 0702, USI Università della Svizzera italiana.
    15. Thomas Heister & Christian Hagist & Klaus Kaier, 2017. "Resistance Elasticity of Antibiotic Demand in Intensive Care," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(7), pages 892-909, July.
    16. Giuliano Masiero & Massimo Filippini & Matus Ferech & Herman Goossens, 2010. "Socioeconomic determinants of outpatient antibiotic use in Europe," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 55(5), pages 469-478, October.
    17. Peter Collignon & Prema-chandra Athukorala & Sanjaya Senanayake & Fahad Khan, 2015. "Antimicrobial Resistance: The Major Contribution of Poor Governance and Corruption to This Growing Problem," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(3), pages 1-13, March.
    18. Frank, Uwe & Kaier, Klaus, 2009. "Dynamics between antibiotic drug use and resistance: An economic approach," FZG Discussion Papers 36, University of Freiburg, Research Center for Generational Contracts (FZG).

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