Doctors are wrongly prescribing antibiotics for flu and sore throats “just in case”, placing Malta as the drugs’ top European consumer, according to the latest survey.
The use of antibiotics is the most widespread in Malta with 48 per cent of those polled saying they had taken them in the last 12 months. Cyprus and Romania tie for second place with 47 per cent.
The Eurobarometer results, published ahead of tomorrow’s European Antibiotic Awareness Day, show a modest drop in consumption among Europeans of five percentage points to 35 per cent over the 2009 survey.
Although Malta’s rate of antibiotics consumption also decreased to 48 per cent from 55 per cent in a matter of four years, the study shows the island has inched its way from second place to the undesirable top position.
“It’s encouraging to see this small drop, but clearly other member states have made more drastic improvements in their use of antibiotics,” said Dr Michael Borg, who heads the National Antibiotic Committee.
Doctors in Malta are clearly still reluctant to follow internationally recommended risk assessment protocols to treat a sore throat, even though they are well aware that antibiotics are ineffective against all colds and flu, as well as the vast majority of sore throats.
Nearly a third of Maltese (30 per cent) popped antibiotics for a sore throat and the flu, compared to the EU’s average of 11 per cent and 18 per cent respectively. Another 11 per cent took this drug in the hope of ‘curing’ their cold.
Once dubbed a wonder drug, the overuse of antibiotics is making the war on hostile bacteria harder to wage and there is increasing concern about its decline in effectiveness. The rise of resistant microbes is a threat to public health, which is why the EU has put a community strategy in place to eradicate misconceptions and raise awareness on prudent use.
Dr Borg said the hard work invested in raising awareness among the public over the past years was garnering results – non-prescribed use of antibiotics has become negligible – but the problem now boiled down to doctors’ prescribed use.
The figures show an overwhelming 93 per cent of Maltese will seek a doctor’s advice to get antibiotics.
“This is a big area of concern since the increase in antibiotic resistance is becoming more problematic in the community than in hospitals. Unfortunately, there are few levers within the system to elicit change in private doctors who overprescribe,” Dr Borg said.
“Culturally, this practice seems to be programmed in our mental software so it’s not easy to eradicate this ingrained concern to prescribe antibiotics ‘just in case’.”
The facts
■ Just four out of 10 Europeans are aware that antibiotics are ineffective against viruses – but only 23 per cent in Malta.
■ 37 per cent of Maltese are aware that antibiotics are ineffective against colds and flu, up seven percentage points from 2009.
■ 53 per cent of Maltese changed their views on antibiotic use following antibiotic awareness campaigns, an increase of six points over 2009.
■ Just 20 per cent of Maltese got their information from a doctor as opposed to 31 per cent who saw a TV advert.
■ 34 per cent of those influenced by these campaigns said they no longer popped antibiotics without a prescription; 21 per cent no longer self-medicated and 16 per cent said they no longer kept leftover drugs.