antibiotics - useful drugs overused and made
useless... or making havoc with nature?
1. our over-druggged children
In this study from the United States where
531 pediatric (children's) medical files were reviewed, it
was concluded that:
• a large proportion of prescriptions are given for
conditions that do not benefit from antibiotics
• In 44% of cases diagnosed with the common cold, 75% of
cases with bronchitis, and 46% told they had an upper
respiratory infection, ANTIBIOTICS were given.
• This data suggests 11.2 million unnecessary prescriptions
per year in the US.
(From: JAMA, March 18, 1998, Vol. 279, pp. 675-677
"Antibiotic Prescribing for Children With Colds, Upper
Respiratory Tract Infections, and Bronchitis")
2. Shock: antibiotics don't help acute ear
infections? Actually, this MAJOR study suggests they make
them worse in the long run...
Giving antibiotics (also known as
"antimicrobials") without proper diagnosis is a dangerous
act currently being heavily criticised by medical
researchers. Why does it continue? How dangerous can it
get?
Check out this article from the British Medical Journal:
The following points are directly from the article.
Summary points:
Bacterial resistance to antimicrobials is responsible for
increasing morbidity (disease), mortality (death), and
costs.
The most frequent use of antimicrobials in the United
States is for otitis media (ear infection).
Evidence from randomised, placebo controlled trials that
routine use of antimicrobials decreases the duration and
severity of symptoms and prevents complication is weak
Treatment of acute otitis media differs worldwide, and
careful use of antimicrobials in the Netherlands and
Iceland seems to have reduced rates of resistance among
organisms without compromising outcomes
The management of acute otitis media needs reassessing.
(source: Froom, J et al. Antimicrobials for acute otitis
media? A review from the International Primary Care
Network. BMJ, 12 July 1997, Vol 315, pp 98-102)
