Beyond consumption and expenditure information (see ), prescribing can be used as an indicator of health care quality. Antibiotics, for example, should be prescribed only where there is an evidence-based need, to reduce the risk of resistant strains. Likewise, quinolones and cephalosporins are considered second-line antibiotics in most prescribing guidelines. Their use should be restricted to ensure availability of effective second-line therapy should first-line antibiotics fail. Total volume of antibiotics prescribed, and second-line as a proportion of total volume, have been validated as markers of quality in the primary care setting. In May 2015, the World Health Assembly endorsed a global action plan to tackle antimicrobial resistance (http://who.int/drugresistance/global_action_plan), which is also reflected in several national strategies.