November 2018
Antibiotic Awareness Week is Nov. 12-18, 2018
In U.S. doctors’ offices and emergency departments, at least 47 million antibiotic prescriptions each year are unnecessary, which makes improving antibiotic prescribing and use a national priority. The goal of Antibiotic Awareness Week is to raise awareness about antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use.1
Antibiotics save lives, but any time they are used, they can lead to antibiotic resistance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working to combat this threat through its Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Solutions Initiative. Because antibiotic resistance has the potential to impact all Americans at every stage of life, AR Solutions Initiative invests in national infrastructure to detect, respond, contain and prevent resistant infections across healthcare settings, food and communities.2
Another initiative, this one by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), finds that improved communication in health care may be one of the keys to improving appropriate antibiotic use. Choosing Wisely is an ABIM program in partnership with Consumer Reports, designed to foster the appropriate and cost-effective use of health care resources by conveying to all physicians and their patients, key insights from 50 clinical specialty groups.
To help educate physicians on the importance of reducing antibiotic overuse, several societies have included recommendations in their Choosing Wisely lists, including the American Academy of Family Physicians which states: “Don’t routinely prescribe antibiotics for acute mild-to-moderate sinusitis unless symptoms last for seven or more days, or symptoms worsen after initial clinical improvement.”
During Antibiotic Awareness Week and throughout the year, you may want to share resources about antibiotic overuse, which Consumer Reports has made available on its database. They include:
- Consumer Reports magazine articles on Why you shouldn't ask your doctor for antibiotics, When to Say No to Antibiotics for Infection, Antibiotic Side Effects in Children: What Every Parent Should Know, What 'No Antibiotic' Claims Really Mean
- Several short videos on antibiotic use, including Avoiding antibiotics in meat, 5 Big Myths About Antibiotics, Dangerous Overuse of Antibiotics, The Rise of Superbugs
1CDC, Antibiotic Prescribing and Use, Oct.1, 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/
2CDC, What CDC is Doing: Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Solutions Initiative, Sept. 12, 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/solutions-initiative/index.html
Choosing Wisely is an initiative sponsored by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation that is solely responsible for the program and its content. The material presented here is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice. Health care providers are instructed to exercise their own independent medical judgment based upon their evaluation of their patients’ conditions and all available information. BCBSIL makes no representations or warranties regarding the Choosing Wisely program or any of its components.
References to other third party sources or organizations are not a representation, warranty or endorsement of such organization. Any questions regarding those organizations should be addressed to them directly.
The above material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician. Physicians and other health care providers are encouraged to use their own best medical judgment based upon all available information and the condition of the patient in determining the best course of treatment