OBJECTIVES: Drug policy in the Slovakia is facing the problem of antibiotic overconsumption followed unavoidably by rising antiobiotic resistance. In comparison to the neighbouring EU countries, Slovakia reached the second highest antibiotic utilisation of 20.9 DID in 2014. According to the principles of rational antibiotic pharmacotherapy, it is advisable to indicate a CRP test to distinguish between bacterial and viral infection previous to antibiotic prescription. The aim of our study was to estimate the economic burden of antibiotic prescription without previous laboratory tests indication. METHODS: We have collected data on antibiotic prescription from 7 regions (35 GPs and paediatricians) from a total of 5 307 patients in the Slovak Republic between 2012 and 2013. We have analysed them in relation to the performed laboratory tests: CRP and CRP-Point of Care Testing (CRP-POCT) and calculated the estimated economic burden of the lack of laboratory test indication. For our study, we have chosen a goal of 35% of antibiotic prescription. RESULTS: The correlation between the percentage of indication of CRP or CRP-POCT testing and the percentage of antibiotic prescription was very high (R=0.87). To reach a 35.0% of antibiotic prescription we need to have a 26.2% of CRP/CRP-POCT-test indication. Total estimated saved costs for our sample were 8 692.1 EUR (34.0%). This represents a total saving of 6 555.8 EUR from public insurance and 2 136.3 EUR in patients’ co-payments. The highest savings, up to 345.7 EUR per 100 inhabitants, were found in Banska Bystrica region with the lowest CRP-test indication of only 5.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The indication of CRP/CRP-POCT-test before antibiotic prescription not only prevents the development of antibiotic resistance, it is also cost-effective. The reduction of antibiotic prescription to 35.0% by increasing the CRP/CRP-POCT-test indication to 26.2% saved a total of 135.4 EUR per 100 patients.