The proposed Drug Resistance Index (DRI) is not a good measure of antibiotic effectiveness in relation to drug resistance

Abstract

Summary box<p>

<ul> <li>The Drug Resistance Index (DRI) is proposed as measure of antibiotic effectiveness in a given country, by combining, in a single metric the use of various antibiotic groups and the resistance proportions of several pathogens.</li>

<li>The DRI is a complicated measure that gives results that cannot be understood by common knowledge and logic.</li>

<li>The DRI conveys a wrong message. A low DRI is meant to represent good antibiotic efficacy, but a low DRI may be the result of unnecessary, excessive use of too broad-spectrum antibiotics.</li>

<li>Restrictive use of antibiotics is one of the cornerstones in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, therefore the DRI, whose interpretation may promote the opposite, should not be used.</li> </ul>