The budget for the total amount of antimicrobial drugs was in 1975 in Parma Hospital 205 millions lire. In 1976 a big increase of 30% was found while in 1978 expenses have been reduced to the 34% of 1975 and th 54% of the 1976 respectively. 2,000 clinical charts of in-patients in the last three months of 1975 and 2,000 of the last three months of 1978 have been examined to show if the reduction in the use of antibiotics was generalized or if some more rational choice had been made. The results showed a decrease of prophylactic use. Tetracyclines and rifampicin were no longer prescribed, and clinicians preferred to employ beta-lactams. Influence of the antibiotic policy to restricting sensitivity reports and of the microbiological consultation, which both started at the end of 1976, is discussed.