Overuse

One change would be to correct policies that enable the selective enrichment of resistant subpopulations. The medical community is in general agreement that we use many antibiotics when they are not needed. Excess prescription writing and self-medication are medical aspects of overuse that can be controlled. For example, half of the 100 million annual prescriptions in the United States for respiratory infections may be unnecessary. Part of the effort needs to be education of medical professionals at the earliest stages of their training. Another part is education of the public concerning the dangers of poor compliance and improper use of antibiotics. The educational message can be reinforced by legislation and enforcement in cases where an....Table 12-5