OBJECTIVES: To analyse the utilisation of antibiotics within the Slovak Republic between 1992 and 2003. Adherence to principles of antibiotic policy lead to fundamental short and long term financial savings within health care systems. METHODS: For 1992-2003, the data of systemic antibiotic use for ambulatory care, aggregated at the level of the active substance, were collected, in accordance with the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and Defined Daily Dose (DDD) measurement unit (WHO). Data of wholesalers, who are legally obliged provide this information to the Slovak Institute for Drug Control, was used for this detailed analysis of the Slovak consumption of antibiotics. RESULTS: Long term analysis shows that the antibiotic consumption had been increasing in human medicine within Slovakia. In 1992 the consumption of antibiotics at the level of 19.4 DDD/1000/day increased to 28.0 DDD/1000/day in 1999. This analysis focused on the situation in antibiotic consumption in 2001 and 2003 in more detail. The results show that in 2003 as opposed to 2001, the consumption of antibiotics decreased by 900,000 packages. In financial figures can be noticed a increase by 1.75 €mill., because the average price for one package of antibiotics was at the level of 4.84€ in 2001 but in 2003 the price increased to a level of 5.64€ . From our analysis a significant increase in the ATB consumption expressed by DDD/1000/day can be seen (In 2001 it was 25.78 but in 2003 we can see the consumption 26.95 DDD/1000/day). CONCLUSIONS: Inseparable components of the Slovak antibiotic policy must be viewed realistically with regard to the consumption of antibiotics and resistance. Antibiotic resistance is a major public health problem, and antibiotic use is increasingly recognised as the major selective pressure driving this resistance.