Fewer patients seek antibiotics

Prescriptions for antibiotics have fallen by 16 per cent in the past five years, as people realise they will not cure common colds and flu, says Pharmac.

The figures were pleasing, as antibiotic resistance was an international concern, said the Government drug buying agency's medical director, Peter Moodie.

Antibiotics were effective against bacterial infections, but were not a cure-all and would not work to treat viral infections such as colds and flu, he said.

People seemed to be getting the message, but some suffering from winter ills were often keen to get antibiotics from their doctor.

This, he said, would do more harm than good because it would make antibiotics less effective when they were needed, and antibiotics could cause unpleasant side effects.

"The reality is if they are overused, the risk of resistance increases.

"It is vital antibiotics retain their effectiveness for when they are needed for generations to come."

He said the figures were complex, but an example of the drop in prescriptions was in the under-6-year-old group.

In the year to March 1998, 985,000 antibiotics prescriptions were processed for that age group.

The number had fallen to 825,000 in the year to March 2003.

Doctors were trained to tell the difference between bacteria and viruses.

Dr Moodie said the best way to remedy colds and the flu was with plenty of fluids and rest.

- NZPA