 |
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
| • |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Div. of Media Relations
1600 Clifton Road
MS D-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
(404) 639-3286
Fax (404) 639-7394 |
|
|
|
 |
Press Release
For Immediate Release
September 17, 2003 |
Contact: CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286 |
HHS, Public Health Partners Unveil New Campaign to
Promote Awareness of Proper Antibiotic Use
The Department of Health and Human Services and a consortium of national
health organizations today urged consumers to be cautious about their use of
antibiotics as the cold and flu season approaches. Officials stressed that
antibiotics are ineffective treatment for viruses, such as those that cause
colds and flu, and that inappropriate antibiotic use — particularly among
children — is contributing to an alarming growth of global antibiotic
resistance.
“Antibiotics show amazing results when used to treat bacterial infections,
but they won’t help at all against the common cold or flu,” Surgeon General
Richard Carmona said. “What’s worse, if people take antibiotics when they
don’t need them, it can make these important drugs less effective in the
future. This is part of health literacy and closing the gap between what
health-care professionals know and what Americans understand.”
The message is part of a new national campaign unveiled by HHS’ Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
and major national health organizations in Chicago today.
“Antibiotics are powerful drugs. In fact, sometimes we imagine they are
wonder drugs that can treat any infections,” said CDC Director Julie
Gerberding, M.D. “But the truth is antibiotics only work against bacteria,
not the viruses that cause colds and flu,” she added. “It’s so important to
get smart about antibiotic use and work with your doctor to get the right
remedy during this cold and flu season.”
Antibiotic resistance can cause significant danger and suffering for
children and adults who have common infections that were once easily
treatable with antibiotics. Over the last decade, almost every type of
bacteria has become stronger and less responsive to antibiotic treatment
when it is really needed. These antibiotic-resistant bacteria can quickly
spread to family members, school mates, and co-workers — threatening the
community with a new strain of infectious disease that is more difficult to
cure and more expensive to treat.
CDC, FDA, and an alliance of partners including national health
organizations, state and local health departments, managed care
organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and other groups concerned about
this problem, hope to reverse the public perception that ‘antibiotics cure
everything’ by unveiling a public health campaign,
Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work,
today at the American Society of Microbiology’s 43rd Interscience Conference
on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. The campaign relies on featuring a
series of television, radio, and print public service announcements and
comprehensive national, state, and local outreach. The campaign aims to
better inform Americans about when antibiotic treatment is warranted.
“We are pleased to be partnering with CDC on this very important health
message. By joining our efforts with those at the state level and private
sector we hope that more people will begin to understand the importance of
prudent antibiotic use. This campaign will help ensure that antibiotics
continue to save lives,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Mark B. McClellan said.
According to the CDC, tens of millions of the antibiotics are prescribed in
doctors’ offices for viral infections that are not treatable with
antibiotics. Doctors cite diagnostic uncertainty, time pressure, and patient
demand as the primary reasons for their tendency to over-prescribe
antibiotics.
“Our first step toward correcting the problem is to build public knowledge
and awareness of when antibiotics work — and when they don’t,” said Richard
Besser, M.D., CDC’s medical director of the campaign. “We want Americans to
keep their families and communities healthy by getting smart about the
proper use of antibiotics.”
The campaign is being supported by many public health groups, including the
American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the
American Academy of Family Physicians, the Alliance for the Prudent Use of
Antibiotics and Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare.
More information about this campaign and antibiotic resistance is available
at
http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/community/.
# # #
CDC protects people's health and safety by preventing and controlling diseases and injuries; enhances health decisions by
providing credible information on critical health issues; and promotes healthy living through strong partnerships with local, national, and
international organizations.
|
