Antibiotic Research UK calls for change in behaviour to reduce antibiotic prescribing, launches new campaign: What’s bugging you this winter?

Antibiotic Research UK calls for change in behaviour to reduce antibiotic prescribing, launches new campaign: What’s bugging you this winter?

York, UK, 8th December 2021 / Sciad Newswire / Over-prescribing of antibiotics is a major contributor to increasing levels of antibiotic resistant infections. Antibiotic prescription rates rise every winter, but new data from the charity Antibiotic Research UK (ANTRUK) and Costello Medical shows how the annual rise in winter prescribing can be reduced. To sustain this reduction in prescribing, ANTRUK is launching its ‘What’s Bugging You This Winter?’ campaign, calling on everyone to understand the role that they can play in tackling antibiotic resistance.

The new data demonstrates that the usual increase in GP antibiotic prescribing of over 20% from summer to winter was reduced to an increase of just 4% during the pandemic winter of 2020-21, illustrating the scale of over-prescribing that usually occurs in winter.

What’s bugging you this winter?

The new campaign launched today aims to inspire everyone to play their part in reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescribing:

Healthcare professionals

• Explain to patients why they may not need antibiotics
• Download ANTRUK’s helpful leaflet to help you explain to your patients
• Consider a delayed prescription, a safe and effective strategy for most patients¹

The public

• Ask your pharmacist for non-antibiotic alternatives to treat colds and flu
• Trust your doctor’s advice
• Maintain good hygiene practices
• Learn more about antibiotic resistance and help to educate others

The winter antibiotic prescription surge

Seasonal increases in illnesses such as colds and flu have typically been met by a significant rise in antibiotic prescription rates. However, antibiotics don’t treat viral infections which are often the cause of these illnesses.

Professor Colin Garner, Chief Executive of ANTRUK, commented: “This new data shows that it is possible to avoid the usual winter increase in antibiotic prescribing. Although typical cough symptoms can take up to three weeks to resolve, we also know that antibiotics for most respiratory tract infections (your typical cough, sore throat, earache) do not speed up recovery times. Instead, they often give patients many side-effects, and promote the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.”

Find out more about the new campaign and how you can help to reduce unnecessary prescriptions.

References:

1.         https://www.bmj.com/content/373/bmj.n808