Prescribing antibiotics: A battle of resistance

摘要

There is no single solution to the rapidly progressing problem of antibacterial resistance. Although various strategies are being implemented worldwide, between 2000 and 2010 consumption of antibiotics increased by 36%. Discovery of new antibiotics is a necessary but not sufficient solution because of the high cost and lengthy timelines. Thus, action to control prescription practices should be a key feature of intervention strategies. In 1998, the UK Department of Health reported that 80% of antimicrobial prescriptions for patients took place in the community and so recommended cessation of prescriptions for simple coughs and colds. In 2010, the Health Protection Agency (now Public Health England) expanded this guidance in a report detailing which antibiotics should be prescribed by doctors per condition and when. Prescription for acute respiratory infections, such as sore throat, was to be avoided.