Polish doctors are too hastily, often under pressure from parents, prescribe antibiotics to children, specialists said during the Tuesday press conference.
The conference “Use of antibiotics in children” was organized in connection with the upcoming First World Antibiotic Awareness Week WHO at the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products, as part of the nationwide campaign “Safe Drug”. The first WHO World Antibiotic Awareness Week will run from November 16-22.
“Antibiotic resistance, or the development of microbial resistance to antibiotics, has already been observed by Aleksander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin,” said the spokesman of the Office, Dr. Wojciech Łuszczyna. Initially effective doses were counted in thousands of penicillin units, now – in millions.
“I do not like antibiotics, although thanks to them you can save a child’s life, for example in the case of sepsis” – said prof. Teresa Jackowska, national consultant in the field of paediatrics. – “Most infections in children have a viral etiology. Also, pharyngitis most often caused by viruses (adenoviruses, coronaviruses, rhinoviruses and others) – does not require an antibiotic. Only in bacterial pharyngitis is an antibiotic indicated. Often times, a doctor will only need a clinical picture or simple laboratory tests or rapid tests such as Strep A to distinguish a bacterial from a viral infection. ‘
“Doctors should be aware and responsible in the use of antibiotics. Parents should not pressure doctors to administer an antibiotic for “fever.” Antibiotics do not cure fever ”- said Prof. Jackowska.
“Antibiotic resistance is one of the most dangerous health problems today. The consequences may apply to anyone, at any age and in any place in the world, ”said Dr. Paulina Miśkiewicz, director of the national office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Poland. – “The WHO is asking everyone, including policymakers, citizens and patients, doctors, veterinarians and farmers, to use antibiotics in an appropriate and responsible manner to most effectively prevent microbial resistance to antibiotics.”
“In order to prevent antibiotic resistance, it is necessary for doctors to follow the rules – use antibiotics only when it is justified, administering only antibiotics that will act on pathogenic microorganisms in a particular patient, in the right form, dose and for the right time. It is necessary to constantly monitor the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance of bacteria through microbiological tests, ”said the President of the Office, Grzegorz Cessak.
In turn, patients, especially those using antibiotics in children, should strictly follow the doctor’s instructions, read the medication leaflets, do not stop the started treatment and report any possible side effects. “Discontinuation of therapy on your own harms not only the patient, but the effectiveness of the antibiotic in the entire population,” said Cessak.
“There are 812 antibiotics registered in Poland – but you can only buy a few antibiotic ointments without a prescription. I am sure that is good. Meanwhile, in 19 European countries, antibiotics can be purchased without a prescription, and in five they are available over the counter online. Especially in Mediterranean countries, the prescription requirement is not respected – it is enough to pay the full price of the drug »- he added. (PAP)