13 July 2005

In the midst of the Australian winter, the June issues of top Australian and American medical journals have published research relating to antimicrobial resistance, identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as one of the world’s most serious health problems. National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) has been targeting inappropriate use of antibiotics through its antibiotic program for doctors and pharmacists and its common colds need common sense campaign for the community. 

In the latest publication WHO Policy Perspectives on Medicines, Containing antimicrobial resistance, WHO highlighted the extent of the problem of antibiotic resistance – “the problem is so serious that unless concerted action is taken worldwide, we run the risk of returning to the pre-antibiotic era when many more children than now died of infectious diseases and major surgery was impossible due to the risk of infection”.

“NPS’s message for the community is that common colds need common sense, they don’t need antibiotics. Antibiotics should be kept for when they really are needed, for example treating lifethreatening infections. What we’ve been saying, and what WHO has recently published, is that using antibiotics when they are not needed is ineffective and can speed up the development of antibiotic resistance,” said Dr Lynn Weekes, CEO, NPS.

“Research in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) concluded that antibiotics did not have a significant benefit in treating cough and symptoms of respiratory tract infections. This supports our activity in educating the community that common colds are caused by a virus and usually get better on their own after 5-7 days recognising that a cough can last longer,” said Dr Lynn Weekes.

“The study in JAMA also reported that patients were more satisfied when they were prescribed antibiotics, even though they did not receive any added health benefit. The common colds need common sense campaign has an important role in reducing consumer expectation of GPs to prescribe antibiotics and gives advice on how to treat the symptoms. The best remedy for a common cold is common sense – take it easy, relieve the symptoms and see your doctor or pharmacist if it gets worse,” continued Dr Weekes.

“The temptation for a ‘quick fix’ to treat a common cold with antibiotics not only doesn’t help you get better faster, it may leave you suffering undesirable side effects and may make it harder for future generations to cope with infectious diseases,” said Dr Lynn Weekes.

The results of a public campaign in South Australia published in the Medical Journal of Australia showed an impact on reduced dispensing of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs).

In March this year, NPS published its 7th Evaluation report, Progress, achievements and future directions, outlining changes in behaviour by health professionals and consumers in areas targeted by NPS programs, including the use of antibiotics for URTIs. Consistent with NPS messages, there is continuing reduction in the prescribing of antibiotics for URTI in Australia. Although more than one third of presentations for generalised URTI in general practice still result in an antibiotic prescription, 20 million prescriptions were written for antibiotics in 2002–03.

NPS’s strategies for this year’s common colds need common sense campaign focus on delivering simple advice to parents, carers and adults through resources distributed to general practices, community pharmacies, selected hospital pharmacies and emergency departments, childcare centres, schools, the media and the campaign website www.gottacold.com. Health professionals are also supported with up to date information on best practice treatment.

Visit www.gottacold.com for more information and resources.

References

William B Dollman, Vanessa T LeBlanc, Lynette Stevens, Peter J O’Connor and John D Turnidge Medical Journal of Australia 2005; 182: 617-620

Paul Little, Kate Rumsby, Joanne Kelly, Louise Watson, Michael Moore, Gregory Warner, Tom Fahey, Ian Williamson The Journal of the American Medical Association Vol. 293 No. 24, June 22/29, 2005 293:3029-3035

The problem of antimicrobial resistance - WHO Policy Perspectives on Medicines Issue No.10, April 2005

ENDS

National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) is a member-based organisation providing accurate, balanced, evidence-based information and services to health professionals and the community on Quality Use of Medicines (QUM). To achieve this we work in partnership with GPs, pharmacists, specialists, other health professionals, government, pharmaceutical industry, consumer organisations and the community. NPS is an independent, non-profit organisation funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.