Physicians in Germany often prescribe antibiotics only on suspicion

Millions of unnecessary prescriptions
For years the number of antibiotic resistances has increased. The likelihood of such strains of resistant pathogens continues to increase as these drugs are used far too often. For example, a US study recently showed that there is still a massive use of antibiotics. The medical profession reported in JAMA that around 47 million unnecessary prescriptions are issued each year in the United States alone. In Germany, unfortunately, it does not look much better.

Effectiveness is not clarified
According to a health insurance study, doctors almost always prescribe antibiotics to their patients for suspicion. According to a survey conducted by the health insurance funds (BKKen) Nordwest und Mitte, the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe reported that clinicians prescribe antibiotics in 95 percent of the cases without first checking their effectiveness by means of a smear.

According to the information, the BKK state associations had evaluated the data of around seven million insured persons in 13 federal states for their survey. Thus, only 3.6 percent of patients with infections prior to antibiotic prescribing an antibiogram was created. On the basis of such a smear on the patient it is clear within 48 hours which antibiotic can switch off the infection.

Antibiotics only for bacterial infections
The German BKK writes on their website: "Patients should only be treated with an antibiotic if the infection is bacterial. Because antibiotics are powerless against viral infections. "Since the remedies not only act against pathogenic bacteria but also" combat "the beneficial bacteria on our skin, mucous membranes and intestines, the principle of" as much as possible "should always be followed when prescribing antibiotics but as rare as possible. ".

General practitioners rarely use antibiograms
According to BKK data, the antibiogram is rarely used in German practices. According to this, the greatest appreciation is enjoyed in urology: In approximately 207,000 infections, urologists initiated the test in almost every fourth case. Among the internists, there were only 30 antibiograms for almost 119,000 cases of infection. General practitioners are even less likely to use the procedure. Among more than 350,000 cases of infection, which were treated with antibiotics at the family doctor, the BKK examiners found only 15 cases that were protected by an antibiogram.

"Therapy with the shotgun"
The health expert Gerd Glaeske from the University of Bremen spoke of a "therapy with the shotgun, widely scattered rather than targeted". He said: "At first glance, this has something to do with the susceptibility of children to infections. If you take a closer look, it shows that bacterial infections are rarely involved. However, antibiotics only help against such infections ". It is said that many physicians would openly admit that prescriptions are not about therapy but about "reassuring parents"..

Federal government wants to stem frivolous antibiotics prescription
Federal Health Minister Hermann Gröhe (CDU) told the newspapers of the Funke media group that he wanted to "promote the targeted use of antibiotics" and therefore improve regulations for the reimbursement of diagnostic procedures. It is said that the Minister has already taken this into account in a new drug supply law, which is currently being voted on within the Federal Government and will soon be adopted by the Cabinet. "Physicians should be able to quickly and quality assured in practice determine which treatment is the right one for the patient," said Gröhe. (Ad)