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Article: Antibiotics overprescribed for upper respiratory infections. (Family Physicians Batting .200).(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Family Practice News
- Article date:
- December 1, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 International Medical News Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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HALIFAX, N.S. -- Family physicians had a batting average of .200 when prescribing antibiotics to patients with an upper respiratory infection, in a study with more than 50 physicians and 298 patients.
Among more than 200 patients who were prescribed an antibiotic for their respiratory infection, 20% received it appropriately. The other 80% of patients were prescribed an antibiotic when they didn't need it, Dr. John G. Scott said at the annual meeting of the North American Primary Care Research Group.
"Patients pressure their physicians to prescribe antibiotics, and physicians respond by prescribing them, even when antibiotics are unnecessary," said Dr. ...