Friday 18th is European Antibiotic Awareness Day.

Dr Gail Haddock, Black Isle GP, member of the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group and NHS Highland Antimicrobial Management Team in speaking ahead of the European Antibiotic Awareness Day issued a warning on the over-use of antibiotics and is calling on better safeguards for the use of antibiotics among patients.

She warned that in many cases antibiotics are being prescribed when they have no benefit, and said -
"Antibiotics are appropriate for specific conditions, such as urinary tract infections, skin infections and for serious infections, such as meningitis or pneumonia, antibiotics can be lifesaving. Most antibiotics are antibacterials, which are drugs that kill bacteria, but have no effect on viruses."

We patients have a role to play in this by not expecting an antibiotic every time we have the slightest snuffle or cough.