Montenegro has the highest antibiotic consumption in Europe, with experts warning that excessive and improper use of these medicines is accelerating antimicrobial resistance and making infections harder to treat. Data from Montenegro’s Institute of Public Health and the Institute for Medicines and Medical Devices show that the country’s average antibiotic use is around 50 percent higher than the European Union average. In 2024, total antibiotic consumption reached 30.83 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day, placing Montenegro even above Greece, which is traditionally among the EU countries with the highest antibiotic use.
Experts warn that the problem is not only high consumption, but also the way antibiotics are used. They are often taken as a quick solution for colds, viruses, sore throat or cough, even though antibiotics work only against bacterial infections. When they are used without need, in the wrong dose, or when therapy is stopped too early, bacteria gain an opportunity to develop resistance.
According to SINMED, Montenegro is also among the European countries with the highest levels of antimicrobial resistance. The Institute of Public Health says high levels of resistance have been recorded in several important pathogens, including resistance to both basic and reserve antibiotics used in the most serious cases. Experts say excessive and inappropriate antibiotic use is one of the main reasons for the spread of bacteria that are increasingly difficult to treat.
A study published in the European Journal of Public Health found that 60.9 percent of respondents in Montenegro had used antibiotics in the previous 12 months, almost three times higher than the European average of 23 percent in 2022. The same research also pointed to a high share of antibiotics being issued without a doctor’s prescription.
Pharmacist Sanda Canović said the high use of antibiotics in Montenegro points to a systemic and cultural problem, as well as insufficient patient awareness. She said antibiotics are often treated as a cure for everything, including viral infections, where they have no effect. Experts warn that antibiotic resistance is already becoming one of the most serious challenges for modern medicine because it leads to more difficult treatment, longer hospital stays, higher risk of complications and increased mortality.
Despite the alarming figures, official statistics show a certain decline in the number of antibiotics prescribed in public health institutions. Last year, 750 prescriptions per 1,000 inhabitants were issued, compared with 803 in 2024, 800 in 2023 and 838 in 2022. Montenegro’s Ministry of Health has also prepared a 2026–2028 program for controlling bacterial resistance, including national campaigns to encourage rational antibiotic use and limit resistance.
