Free Antibiotics May Contribute to Drug Resistance, Officials Say Response

I learned that pharmacies do want to help people that are tight on cash during these hard economic times. They are giving away free antibiotic when we don't really need them though. If they did give away free flu shots then they would be doing a better service because people think that they need antibiotics to help treat their cold or flu. Which taking the antibiotics to help with those health issues isn't doing anything for you. Antibiotics are made to help with bacterial illness... and the colds and flu are viral illnesses. Another reason it isn't could that they are giving out free antibiotics is that people think that they can use these freely, and it could be bad for drug resistance.

Free Antibiotics May Contribute to Drug Resistance, Officials Say

-pharmacies are offering free antibiotics to consumers that are tight on money
-public health officials think that this action could send the wrong message to people
-and when it send the wrong message then it could worsen the problem of drug resistance
-the centers for Disease control and prevention have sent many letters out to the pharmacies telling them to urge the right use of the antibiotics
-but they aren't just giving the antibiotics to random people, the consumers have to have the prescription from their doctor
-“If a patient believes that they can get an antibiotic quite easily or for free, then it may increase the pressure on health care providers to prescribe it.” says Dr.Lauri Hicks
- they chose the antibiotics because they are usually used for only a certain amount of time and aren't refilled
-letters were also sent out asking the pharmacies to educate their customers about drug resistance
-colds and the flu should not be treated with antibiotics
-most of the infections that happen during the cold and flu period is due to viruses not bacteria so antibiotics wont work
-Doctors don't want to encourage the use of antibiotics at this time
-some stores that fill prescriptions posted stuff about the responsible use of antibiotics and the right treatments for a cold on their website
-most stores have a deadline on when they will stop giving the antibiotics away
- the Infectious Disease Society of America thinks that the pharmacies would be helping more if they gave away free flu shots
-some doctors think that the impression of the free antibiotics may be that people can use them freely
-they need to control the use of antibiotics because more bacteria is becoming resistant to them