biology

WHO AWaRe

WHO AWaRe is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand WHO AWaRe rather than just read about it. In short: The WHO AWaRe Classification is a method to categorize antibiotics into three groups in an effort to improve appropriate antibiotic use. The classification is based, in part, on the risk of developing antibiotic resistance and their importance to medicine.

Key takeaways

WHO AWaRe belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect WHO AWaRe to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of WHO AWaRe from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The WHO AWaRe Classification is a method to categorize antibiotics into three groups in an effort to improve appropriate antibiotic use. The classification is based, in part, on the risk of developing antibiotic resistance and their importance to medicine. It does not reflect effectiveness or strength. It is accompanied by a book that outlines which and how to use antibiotics in 34 common infections. The three groups are "access", meaning use can be unrestricted, "watch", meaning care should be taken, and "reserve" meaning use should be saved for cases in which other options are not possible. The recommendation is that greater than 60% of antibiotics used within a country come from the "access" group. The classification was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and launched in 2017. It is an aspect of the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines. The classification as of 2021 covers 258 items. Challenges in its implementation include lack of awareness, little political will, and few resources. The WHO AWaRe Classification categorized antibiotics into three groups to improve appropriate antibiotic use, based on resistance risk and medical importance. "Access" antibiotics could be used freely, "watch" antibiotics required caution, and "reserve" antibiotics were for last-resort cases. Developed by the WHO, this classification aimed to ensure proper antibiotic utilization. A recent study conducted by Abdelsalam Elshenawy et al. at an English NHS Foundation Trust examined antibiotic prescribing trends during the COVID-19 pandemic, guided by the AWaRe classification. It shed light on shifting prescription patterns, highlighting the importance of antimicrobial stewardship. There was a marked rise in the consumption of antibiotics in the Watch category, while usage of certain antibiotics remained consistently high. These findings emphasized the imperative for vigilant antimicrobial stewardship to address evolving prescribing trends and combat resistance, thereby safeguarding patient health.

Classification

Access Antibiotics in the access group have a lower risk of antibiotic resistance and are typically recommended as first- and second-line treatments of infections. They are generally inexpensive and safe. They should be readily available when needed, and are highlighted in green. Access group antibiotics include amikacin, amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ampicillin, benzylpenicillin, cefalexin, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, doxycycline, Metronidazole and nitrofurantoin. Nearly 60% can be taken by mouth.

Watch Antibiotics in the watch group are typically broad-spectrum antibiotics with a greater risk of resistance. They are generally only recommended if other options are not possible. They should be used carefully to save their effectiveness for those cases in which "access" antibiotics are not appropriate. Costs are also generally greater, and they are highlighted in yellow. Included in this category are azithromycin, Cefixime, several cephalosporins, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, and vancomycin. About 40% are available by mouth.

Reserve The reserve group are generally last line options and used for infections not treatable by other antibiotics, i.e. multi-drug-resistant organisms. They are highlighted in red. Include in this category are ceftazidime/avibactam, colistin, polymyxin B (by mouth and by injection), and linezolid. The intravenous formulation of fosfomycin is reserve while the by mouth formulation is watch. About 10% of this group is available by mouth.

Not recommended An occasionally included fourth group defines antibiotics whose use is not recommended.

References

External links The WHO AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve) antibiotic book. 9 December 2022. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with WHO AWaRe

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what WHO AWaRe claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to WHO AWaRe before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about WHO AWaRe ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of WHO AWaRe

In research: WHO AWaRe appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses WHO AWaRe in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: WHO AWaRe is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics World Health Organization essential medicines, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for WHO AWaRe outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study WHO AWaRe in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what WHO AWaRe means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain WHO AWaRe out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is WHO AWaRe in simple terms?

Why does WHO AWaRe matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study WHO AWaRe?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on WHO AWaRe.