Originally published July 7 2005
Study finds prescribing antibiotics for coughs helps nothing but germs
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Early Show correspondent Dr. Emily Senay says that patients are commonly prescribed antibiotics for coughs, but don't get better any quicker than someone who wasn't prescribed the medicine, and instead the practice may be contributing to germs' resistance to antibiotics.
Amid growing concern about the overuse of antibiotics, a new study shows they frequently make no difference against bad coughs, a condition they're commonly prescribed to fight.
The study, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked at more than 500 people diagnosed with acute bronchitis or pharyngitis, and found their coughs lasted about 12 days after a visit to the doctor whether antibiotics were prescribed or not, says The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay.
"The bottom line was that it didn't matter," Senay told co-anchor Harry Smith.
"People who have underlying medical conditions, such as pneumonia, clearly need antibiotics" to help avoid complications, Senay added.
Doctors prescribe antibiotics to tens of millions of people each year for the deep, hacking cough of bronchitis and pharyngitis, and it's thought many of those prescriptions are unnecessary.
Many coughs are caused by viral infections, which aren't treatable with antibiotics.
Antibiotics "can be very useful in treating bacterial infections, Senay points out.
"But their overuse can result in germs that develop resistance to antibiotics over time.
"When you don't need a medication," she adds, "you expose yourself to the potential risk of side effects for unnecessary reasons.
Antibiotics have been the standard of care for a long time, Senay notes, and not all doctors will agree with the conclusions of the new study.
But an editorial in the journal urges doctors to "do the right thing" by taking into account the new information, informing patients that whether or not they end up taking antibiotics, the symptoms are likely to last the same amount of time, and at least hold off on the immediate prescription of antibiotics in cases where there is no pneumonia or other risk factors.
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