doctors prescribe too many antibiotics according to Public Health France

Are doctors prescribing too many antibiotics? With the resumption of winter infections, the consumption of these drugs has started to rise again, especially among young children. Only, in a report from Public Health France published on Wednesday, some pediatricians tend to prescribe antibiotics for pathologies that do not justify it. This warning issued by the health agency aims to avoid collateral damage related to overconsumption of this drug.

Regular use of antibiotics is not without risk and can destroy the intestinal flora. But it can also accelerate the development of bacteria that will eventually resist this treatment later, which is called “antibiotic resistance”.

700 prescriptions per 1,000 inhabitants were carried out in 2021

This increase in prescriptions is not without reason for the pediatrician Christian Spitz. “At times, the parents as well as the doctors themselves are in doubt. Sometimes it’s an easy thing. But I think we can still limit the prescription of antibiotics,” he explains. “However, in times of bronchiolitis, there is no point in treating this disease with these drugs.” In the majority of cases, antibiotics do not act against viral infections such as bronchitis, angina or the flu, but rather against bacterial infections. The fact of prescribing wisely and carrying out a detailed examination of the child is decisive.

According to Public Health France, around 700 prescriptions per 1,000 inhabitants were made in 2021. This makes France the fourth European country that consumes the most antibiotics, behind Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.