US Government Highlights Antibiotic Misuse
Overprescribing can lead to drug-resistant bacteria
19 November 2010
The U.S. campaign for the smart use of antibiotics parallels similar efforts in Europe and Canada.
A leading U.S. government health agency is focusing an annual campaign on educating patients, parents, and health care providers about the need to avoid the misuse of antibiotics. Inappropriate use of antibiotics can lead to "superbugs" that resist drugs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is marking the third week in November as "Get Smart About Antibiotics Week." The agency wants to draw attention to the misuse of these powerful drugs, such as when a doctor prescribes an antibiotic for something other than a bacterial infection, or when patients don't take the medicine as instructed.
The medical director for the CDC program, Lauri Nicks, DO, says antibiotics are over-prescribed for a variety of reasons.
"We're seeing that doctors are over-prescribing because of patient expectations, because of fear of making the wrong diagnosis," she says. "And, of course, patients are demanding antibiotics in many cases from their providers as well."
Antibiotics can also be misused when the drugs are not taken under expert supervision. In many countries, antibiotics require a doctor's prescription. But Hicks says that's not true everywhere.
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