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Resist resistance
The CDC considers antibiotic resistance to be one of the "biggest public health problems of our time," estimating that about 2 million people in the United States are infected with antibiotic-resistant infections. And that has a lot to do with over-prescription and overuse of antibiotic drugs. But have we finally learned our lesson?
A new study published in the British Medical Journal found that of the approximately 15.5 million antibiotic prescriptions in the United States in 2016, 23.2% were for diseases that, as a rule, do not require any antibacterial treatment. Even more shocking, 28.5% of the prescriptions had no recent badociated diagnosis.
Always Sometimes Never
The authors of the study divided all cases into three different categories: cases where antibiotics should always, sometimes or never be used. For example, tonsillitis is almost always treated with antibiotics, while asthma (alone) should never require a prescription for antibiotics.
Of course, the clbadification of these diseases will vary and the researchers note that the results may not be generalized to insured or non-reimbursed patients in the United States – their sample of prescriptions included only insured patients.
A disturbing trend
But this illustrates a worrying trend: too many prescriptions of antibacterial drugs could lead to antibiotic resistance, making bacteria much more difficult to kill.
And it's a common problem. So common, scientists even found antibiotic-resistant bacteria aboard the International Space Station in November. Although, whether or not they are likely to pose a threat to human health, we still do not know.
But the researchers are attentive. This is obviously an important issue to watch for, and the authors of the study hope that their methodology could help others find a solution.
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