U.S. Orders Resistance Warnings on Antibiotics

[Guest guest]

I thought this was interesting...

Misty

http://www..com

 

 

U.S. Orders Resistance Warnings on Antibiotics

By Lisa Richwine

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Antibiotics will need to carry warnings

advising doctors to avoid unnecessary prescriptions, a major

contributor to the problem of drug-resistant infections, U.S. health

officials said on Wednesday.

 

 

The new requirement aims to reduce inappropriate prescribing of

antibiotics for common ailments such as ear infections and chronic

coughs, which often are caused by viruses that do not respond to

antibiotics.

 

 

Antibiotics only kill bacteria, but patients often request them for

treating a variety of infections.

 

 

Starting next year, antibiotic labels should include instructions

for doctors to prescribe them only when an infection is proven or

strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria, the Food and Drug

Administration (news - web sites) said.

 

 

The labels also will encourage physicians to counsel patients about

what types of infections require antibiotic treatment, as well as

remind them to take all of their medication, even if they feel

better in a few days.

 

 

Not completing a full course of treatment can give microbes the

chance to mutate to resist antibiotics, causing infections that are

harder to treat. Overprescribing the drugs also is considered a

major reason that antibiotic resistance is increasing.

 

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news -

web sites), half of the 100 million prescriptions a year written by

office-based physicians in the United States are unnecessary because

they are prescribed for the common cold and other viral infections.

 

 

" Antibiotic resistance is a serious and growing public health

problem, not only in this country but worldwide, " FDA Commissioner

Mark McClellan said, noting that the growth of resistant germs is

outpacing development of new antibiotics.

 

 

" We may end up in a situation where we don't have effective

antibiotic drugs for common infections that were once easily

treated, " McClellan said in an interview.

 

 

The agency plans to try and publicize the warnings through medical

journals and professional medical societies, McClellan said.

 

 

Jeff Trewhitt, a spokesman for the Pharmaceutical Research and

Manufacturers of America, said the drug industry group had just

begun reviewing the rule. He declined to comment further.

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Misty.

 

I have been saying this, teaching this and practicing this for more than 30

years. It finally is taking " an act of congress " to force the medical

profession to discipline itself--now that it is too late. Even now, by

making this an advisory only, physicians will have to do right from what

their conscience tells them. How well do you think THAT will work?

 

Namaste`

 

Walt Stoll, MD

 

-

<mistytrepke

 

Thursday, February 06, 2003 8:14 PM

U.S. Orders Resistance Warnings on

Antibiotics

 

 

> I thought this was interesting...

> Misty

> http://www..com

>

>

> U.S. Orders Resistance Warnings on Antibiotics

> By Lisa Richwine

>

> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Antibiotics will need to carry warnings

> advising doctors to avoid unnecessary prescriptions, a major

> contributor to the problem of drug-resistant infections, U.S. health

> officials said on Wednesday.

>

>

> The new requirement aims to reduce inappropriate prescribing of

> antibiotics for common ailments such as ear infections and chronic

> coughs, which often are caused by viruses that do not respond to

> antibiotics.

>

>

> Antibiotics only kill bacteria, but patients often request them for

> treating a variety of infections.

>

>

> Starting next year, antibiotic labels should include instructions

> for doctors to prescribe them only when an infection is proven or

> strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria, the Food and Drug

> Administration (news - web sites) said.

>

>

> The labels also will encourage physicians to counsel patients about

> what types of infections require antibiotic treatment, as well as

> remind them to take all of their medication, even if they feel

> better in a few days.

>

>

> Not completing a full course of treatment can give microbes the

> chance to mutate to resist antibiotics, causing infections that are

> harder to treat. Overprescribing the drugs also is considered a

> major reason that antibiotic resistance is increasing.

>

>

> According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news -

> web sites), half of the 100 million prescriptions a year written by

> office-based physicians in the United States are unnecessary because

> they are prescribed for the common cold and other viral infections.

>

>

> " Antibiotic resistance is a serious and growing public health

> problem, not only in this country but worldwide, " FDA Commissioner

> Mark McClellan said, noting that the growth of resistant germs is

> outpacing development of new antibiotics.

>

>

> " We may end up in a situation where we don't have effective

> antibiotic drugs for common infections that were once easily

> treated, " McClellan said in an interview.

>

>

> The agency plans to try and publicize the warnings through medical

> journals and professional medical societies, McClellan said.

>

>

> Jeff Trewhitt, a spokesman for the Pharmaceutical Research and

> Manufacturers of America, said the drug industry group had just

> begun reviewing the rule. He declined to comment further.

>

 

[Guest guest]

This has always mystified me, because I'd be sick and get an antibiotic and

feel better very quickly. Why does it work on viral infections even when

they say it won't? Is it placebo? Just personal experience tells me they

help.

 

Deana

 

 

 

 

 

 

> " Misty L. Trepke <mistytrepke " <mistytrepke

>

>

> U.S. Orders Resistance Warnings on

>Antibiotics

>Fri, 07 Feb 2003 02:14:02 -0000

>

>I thought this was interesting...

>Misty

>http://www..com

>

>

>U.S. Orders Resistance Warnings on Antibiotics

>By Lisa Richwine

>

>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Antibiotics will need to carry warnings

>advising doctors to avoid unnecessary prescriptions, a major

>contributor to the problem of drug-resistant infections, U.S. health

>officials said on Wednesday.

>

>

>The new requirement aims to reduce inappropriate prescribing of

>antibiotics for common ailments such as ear infections and chronic

>coughs, which often are caused by viruses that do not respond to

>antibiotics.

>

>

>Antibiotics only kill bacteria, but patients often request them for

>treating a variety of infections.

>

>

>Starting next year, antibiotic labels should include instructions

>for doctors to prescribe them only when an infection is proven or

>strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria, the Food and Drug

>Administration (news - web sites) said.

>

>

>The labels also will encourage physicians to counsel patients about

>what types of infections require antibiotic treatment, as well as

>remind them to take all of their medication, even if they feel

>better in a few days.

>

>

>Not completing a full course of treatment can give microbes the

>chance to mutate to resist antibiotics, causing infections that are

>harder to treat. Overprescribing the drugs also is considered a

>major reason that antibiotic resistance is increasing.

>

>

>According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news -

>web sites), half of the 100 million prescriptions a year written by

>office-based physicians in the United States are unnecessary because

>they are prescribed for the common cold and other viral infections.

>

>

> " Antibiotic resistance is a serious and growing public health

>problem, not only in this country but worldwide, " FDA Commissioner

>Mark McClellan said, noting that the growth of resistant germs is

>outpacing development of new antibiotics.

>

>

> " We may end up in a situation where we don't have effective

>antibiotic drugs for common infections that were once easily

>treated, " McClellan said in an interview.

>

>

>The agency plans to try and publicize the warnings through medical

>journals and professional medical societies, McClellan said.

>

>

>Jeff Trewhitt, a spokesman for the Pharmaceutical Research and

>Manufacturers of America, said the drug industry group had just

>begun reviewing the rule. He declined to comment further.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, Deana.

 

Statistically, 70% of the " right away " symptomatic relief is placebo. When

thousands of patients are checked, antibiotics do not make a difference

until about 48 hours at the best even when the specific antibiotic for that

particular bacterium is prescribed--something that is pretty RARE!. Belief

is a powerful thing!

 

Walt

 

-

" Deana Smiel " <rsmiel

 

Friday, February 07, 2003 9:46 AM

Re: U.S. Orders Resistance Warnings on

Antibiotics

 

 

> This has always mystified me, because I'd be sick and get an antibiotic

and

> feel better very quickly. Why does it work on viral infections even when

> they say it won't? Is it placebo? Just personal experience tells me they

> help.

>

> Deana

> " Misty L. Trepke <mistytrepke " <mistytrepke

> >

> >

> > U.S. Orders Resistance Warnings on

> >Antibiotics

> >Fri, 07 Feb 2003 02:14:02 -0000

> >

> >I thought this was interesting...

> >Misty

> >http://www..com

> >

> >

> >U.S. Orders Resistance Warnings on Antibiotics

> >By Lisa Richwine

> >

> >WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Antibiotics will need to carry warnings

> >advising doctors to avoid unnecessary prescriptions, a major

> >contributor to the problem of drug-resistant infections, U.S. health

> >officials said on Wednesday.

> >

> >

> >The new requirement aims to reduce inappropriate prescribing of

> >antibiotics for common ailments such as ear infections and chronic

> >coughs, which often are caused by viruses that do not respond to

> >antibiotics.

> >

> >

> >Antibiotics only kill bacteria, but patients often request them for

> >treating a variety of infections.

> >

> >

> >Starting next year, antibiotic labels should include instructions

> >for doctors to prescribe them only when an infection is proven or

> >strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria, the Food and Drug

> >Administration (news - web sites) said.

> >

> >

> >The labels also will encourage physicians to counsel patients about

> >what types of infections require antibiotic treatment, as well as

> >remind them to take all of their medication, even if they feel

> >better in a few days.

> >

> >

> >Not completing a full course of treatment can give microbes the

> >chance to mutate to resist antibiotics, causing infections that are

> >harder to treat. Overprescribing the drugs also is considered a

> >major reason that antibiotic resistance is increasing.

> >

> >

> >According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news -

> >web sites), half of the 100 million prescriptions a year written by

> >office-based physicians in the United States are unnecessary because

> >they are prescribed for the common cold and other viral infections.

> >

> >

> > " Antibiotic resistance is a serious and growing public health

> >problem, not only in this country but worldwide, " FDA Commissioner

> >Mark McClellan said, noting that the growth of resistant germs is

> >outpacing development of new antibiotics.

> >

> >

> > " We may end up in a situation where we don't have effective

> >antibiotic drugs for common infections that were once easily

> >treated, " McClellan said in an interview.

> >

> >

> >The agency plans to try and publicize the warnings through medical

> >journals and professional medical societies, McClellan said.

> >

> >

> >Jeff Trewhitt, a spokesman for the Pharmaceutical Research and

> >Manufacturers of America, said the drug industry group had just

> >begun reviewing the rule. He declined to comment further.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >