Antibiotics Often Supplied Without Prescription Worldwide

A global study, co-authored by a QUT researcher, highlighted the increasing impact of over-the-counter antibiotic supply in community pharmacies

. It also highlights the urgent need for better law enforcement. Emmanuel Adewuyi, recipient of a QUT Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, has worked with British researchers from the University of Central Lancashire, the University of University De Montfort, University of Edinburgh and University of Leeds. University of Bello, Nigeria, and University of Maryland, USA

"We searched global databases for published studies from 2000 to 2017 on the frequency of over-the-counter sales of antibiotics in community pharmacies from around the world "Adewuyi.

"Studies from 24 countries were badyzed and at our alarm we found that antibiotics are often over-the-counter in many countries." Australia has not been included in the program. Study and there is no need to worry here about what we can see.

"However, this overuse of antibiotics could facilitate the development and spread of antibiotic resistance . Antibiotic resistance accounts for more than two million infections and 23,000 deaths per year in the United States and about 25,000 deaths in Europe each year.

"There is a lack of reliable estimates of the burden of antibiotic-resistant infections in developing countries, resulting in many more deaths in these countries, for example in India about 57 000 deaths from neonatal sepsis are due to antibiotic-resistant infections. "

M. Adewuyi said that of the 24 countries included in the study, only Thailand did not rank antibiotics only on prescription. "The majority of these over-the-counter antibiotics were for the treatment of diseases that were largely acute and spontaneously resolved, such as upper respiratory tract infections and gastroenteritis," he added.

"Many were also broad-spectrum antibiotics like amoxicillin, azithromycin, and others that increased the risk of developing difficult-to-treat infections like the deadly Staphylococcus aureus to Methicillin .] "Considering that most countries have laws prohibiting sales of over-the-counter antibiotics, it is necessary to ensure that these laws are more strictly enforced.

While commenting on the research, the lead author, Dr. Asa Auta, Lecturer at the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences of the University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom, argued that "Such a practice not only predisposes patients to inappropriate drug and dose choices, but suggests great risks for the development and spread of resistant organisms, masking the diagnosis and delaying the intake of antibiotics in community pharmacies. "

admissions to the hospital,. Dr. Asa said.

Read the full study in the Journal of Infection Online.