Regulatory Roundup: FDA Issues Statement for Consumers about Antibiotic Use

Last week, FDA urged consumers to be “smart” about the way they use antibiotics. “Antibiotics can be used to treat bacterial infections; however, they are commonly over-prescribed. Patients sometimes ask their healthcare professional to prescribe antibiotic drugs for viral infections, like the common cold, despite the fact that they will not work and may lead to potentially harmful side effects,” said the agency in a Nov.15, 2010, online announcement. FDA specifically advised that patients take their medicine as prescribed, not save antibiotics for future use, and not use antibiotics that are prescribed for other individuals.