ARLINGTON, Va., Feb 26, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- U.S. infectious diseases
experts are urging supermarket pharmacies with free-antibiotics promotions to
educate their customers about the drugs.
Several grocery store chains nationwide began offering free antibiotics this
winter and some are linking the promotion to cold and flu season, despite the
fact that antibiotics do not work against these viral illnesses.
The Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention have written to supermarkets with free-antibiotics promotions
asking them to join "Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work," campaign by the CDC
to educate consumers about the importance of using antibiotics appropriately.
"Taking an antibiotic when you don't need it won't help you, and may in fact do
more harm than good," Dr. Anne Gershon, president of the IDSA said in a
statement. "At a time when antibiotic overuse is helping to create
drug-resistant superbugs such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and
few new antibiotics are being developed, supermarkets need to be responsible in
how they promote antibiotics."
Studies show many people believe that antibiotics can cure a cold or the flu,
and tend to ask or pressure their clinicians to provide them and each year, tens
of thousands of people are prescribed antibiotics for these conditions, even
though they will do no good and can be harmful.
It's estimated that some 142,000 emergency department visits each year, are
mostly due to allergic reactions to antibiotics, Gershon said.
URL: www.upi.com
Copyright 2009 by United Press International