Patients advised to take full course of antibiotics prescribed by doctor
Patients are being advised to take the full course of antibiotics as prescribed by their doctor.
It is after experts have warned that resistance to drugs is more of a threat if treatment goes on for too long.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, they argue the "complete the course" message is not supported by evidence.
However, antibiotics expert at the Irish College of General Practioners, Nuala O’Connor, has said the advice only applies to ’prescribers’, not patients.
"The message that was interpreted in the newspapers said you should stop antibiotics as soon as you feel better but that is incorrect and that would be misleading to patients," she said.
"You should take the course of antibiotics as prescribed and that doctors need to be careful that they only prescribe the necessary course of antibiotics for paricular patients for a particular condition."
