When antibiotics no longer work, healthcare is fundamentally altered. Infections that can be treated today risk becoming life-threatening, and the risk of complications increases during surgery, cancer treatment and other conditions that require preventive antibiotics.
Strong support for stricter environmental standards
In a study with just over 2,000 participants, researchers examined whether Swedes are willing to pay extra for antibiotics manufactured under higher environmental requirements. The results are clear: eight out of ten respondents said yes to either a higher price at the pharmacy or indirectly through tax funding of a state subsidy.
On average, Swedes are prepared to pay about 13 euros extra per course of antibiotics at the pharmacy, corresponding to a price increase of more than 60 percent. As an alternative, they accept a tax increase of just over 7 euros per year, which equates to a state subsidy of around 15 euros per treatment.
The same medicine, but more sustainable production
“It is important to stress that this is not about different medicines with varying effectiveness,” says Professor Joakim Larsson, Director of the Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) and one of the researchers behind the study. “We are talking about the same substance, with the same medical effect, but manufactured by producers who differ in how strictly they control emissions.”
Thomas Sterner, Professor of Environmental Economics and co-author, agrees:
“There is in most people a fairly strong willingness to pay for cleaner production methods, but it is also important to offer choice, not least for those who cannot afford it.”
The importance of comparing different policy options
Elina Lampi, Associate Professor of Economics and co-author, points out that a voluntary labelling system risks some consumers opting out of the more sustainable product, whereas a tax ensures that everyone contributes – even those who never use antibiotics themselves.
“This may be perceived as unfair, which is why it is important to highlight the shared benefit: everyone gains from reducing the risk of resistance,” she says.
A shared responsibility
The willingness to pay is mainly driven by concern about antibiotic resistance and a desire to contribute to improved global health.
“Ultimately, this is about collective stewardship of a common resource: effective antibiotics. It should not be the choice between a cheaper and a more expensive product that determines who contributes. This is something society as a whole should carry, for example through taxation,” says Joakim Larsson.
