Author Interviews, CDC, Infections, JAMA / 04.05.2016
CDC Estimates 47 Million Unnecessary Antibiotic Prescriptions Among US Outpatients Annually
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Dr. Fleming-Dutra: One of the most urgent public health threats of our time is the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The use of antibiotics is the single most important factor leading to antibiotic resistance around the world. Simply using antibiotics creates resistance. To combat antibiotic resistance we have to use antibiotics appropriately — only when needed and, if needed, use them correctly. In 2015, the White House released the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (CARB), which set a goal for reducing inappropriate outpatient antibiotic use by 50% by 2020. However, the amount of antibiotic use in the outpatient setting that is inappropriate was unknown.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Dr. Fleming-Dutra: In this study, we estimate that at least 30% of antibiotics prescribed in doctors’ offices, emergency departments and hospital-based clinics are unnecessary—meaning that no antibiotic was needed at all, which equates to 47 million unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions written annually in these outpatient settings. Most of those unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions were written for acute respiratory conditions, a key driver of antibiotic overuse. Thus, in order to reach the White House goal of reducing inappropriate outpatient antibiotic use by 50%, a 15% reduction in overall antibiotic use in outpatient settings is needed by 2020.
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