Table 1 Main antibiotic regulations and strategies in China

• Guidelines for antibiotic use in clinical practice, enacted in 2004 as the first national guidelines for the clinical application of antibacterial drugs, categorizing antibiotics as non-restricted, restricted, and special use, NHFPC, SATCM, HDGLM

• Measures to forbid retail pharmacies from selling antibiotics without prescriptions, 2004, CFDA

• Notice on establishing a surveillance net for the clinical application of antibacterial drugs and Mohnarin, 2005, NHFPC, SATCM, HDGLM

• Notice on further strengthening the management of the clinical application of antibacterial drugs, 2008, the General Office of NHFPC

• Notice on the management of the clinical application of antibacterial drugs, 2009, the General Office of NHFPC

• National Essential Medicines Policy (NEMP), 2009, the State Council of China. Advocating prioritizing the use of essential medicines and canceling the 15 % mark-up policy in all government-owned primary healthcare(PHC) facilities by the end of 2011.

• Measures for the Management of the Clinical Application of Antibacterial Drugs, 2012, NHFPC

• Three year national special campaign on the clinical application of antibacterial drugs, 2011-2013, NHFPC

• National education program of “66 Items Related to Citizen’s Health Literacy in China”, viewed as a program that every citizen should know basic health information, 2008(revised in 2015), NHFPC

• Health China Propaganda Program, 2013, NHDPC, CFDA and CAST

Source: government documents

 NHFPC -the National Health and Family Planning Commission

 SATCM -the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine

 HDGLM-the Health Department of General Logistic Minister

 CAST -the China Association for Science and Technology

 CFDA-the China Food and Drug Administration

 Mohnarin- Ministry of Health National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Net