Prescribing Antibiotics

KYW Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- We are in the teeth of the cold and flu season and if you are under the weather you are probably thinking "I want an antibiotic to get me through this" but according to an article in the Annals of Internal Medicine two doctor groups are reminding physicians to use antibiotics sparingly.

The American College of Physicians and the CDC are asking physicians not to prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily for colds, sore throats, bronchitis, and sinus infections that aren't complicated. Here is the reason why this is being done. Antibiotics are prescribed at more than 100 million adult ambulatory care visits every year, and 41% of these prescriptions are for respiratory conditions.

Overuse contributes to the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections; in the U.S., there are 2 million antibiotic-resistant illnesses and 23,000 related deaths each year. For those who worry about the financial impact: this could cost the healthcare system $30 billion.