Study: 1 in 3 Antibiotics Prescribed in US Unnecessary

[KSTP TV, May 04, 2016] Almost one-third of antibiotics prescribed in doctors' offices and emergency departments throughout the country are unnecessary, according to a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's approximately 47 million extra prescriptions every year.

"I get pressure all the time from patients who are on their second or third or fourth or fifth or sixth day of a cold," explained Allina Health Infectious Disease Physician Frank Rhame. "They're sure antibiotics are going to make it go away faster, and that's almost never the case."

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