Antibiotics : the sale of the unit improves the monitoring of treatment

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Published the 04.10.2017 at 15h23

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antibiorésistanceantibiotiquepharmacie

The sale of antibiotics to the unit would fight against antibiotic resistance, according to an experimentation of French that is described in Plos One. Commissioned by the ministry of Health, this study also shows that this mode of distribution would improve adherence to treatment. Interesting findings that offer a new angle of attack against the emergence of many multi-resistant bacterial strains.

This phenomenon constitutes a major public health issue in many european countries “, note the authors. France, one of the largest consumers of antibiotics in Europe, is also one of the most affected by this threat. Each year, 12,000 deaths are associated with these resistant infections.

This slaughter is largely due to the consumption of antibiotics in medicine city. More than 90 % of these drugs valuable drugs are prescribed by physicians. However, about one-third of these prescriptions would be unnecessary, according to the scientific literature.

To ration the antibiotics

But antibiotic resistance is not only the result of orders too loaded. The mode of distribution of these drugs is also put into question because the sales in the box does not always correspond to the requirements. Kits pharmacy the French are proof of that : they are full of unused medications. This promotes the self-medication but also the contamination of the environment when the patients get rid of their pills in the trash classic.

It is for this reason that the ministry wished to test the sale to the unit for 14 antibiotics. The experiment took place during one year between November 2014 and November 2015 in a hundred pharmacies volunteers across France (Ile-de-France, Limousin, Lorraine, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’azur). Among these agencies, 25 have continued to deliver the antibiotic per box. They constituted the control group. Others have distributed the exact amount of tablets needed for the treatment.

In parallel, the pharmacists were asked more than 1 200 patients to give their opinion on this new mode of distribution. They were also asked about their recycling habits of drugs, self-medication, and their knowledge about antibiotic resistance.