A new study has found antibiotics are being used incorrectly 52 per cent of the time for patients post-surgery.
According to research conducted by the University of Melbourne, which gathered data from almost a quarter of Australian hospitals, 45 per cent of all surgical antibiotic prescriptions were classified as non-compliant with Australian national therapeutic guidelines.
The study found that in more than half of the cases studied; doctors were telling patients to consume antibiotics for much longer than required after surgery.
Lead author and researcher of the , Courtney Ierano, said patients do not always require antibiotics post-surgery unless they have contracted an infection.
“There’s a large perception that antibiotics are needed after surgery, there’s a lot of evidence and a lot of international guidelines that are not recommending that... But we’re still finding it a lot in practice.”
Incorrect prescription of antibiotics, particularly over-prescription, This occurs when germs that cause infections become resistant to the medicines used to kill them.
Ms Ierano said an incorrect prescription of antibiotics had the potential to have a major impact on patients.
“There is, of course, going to be an impact on our patients.
"Anti-microbial resistance is one of the biggest global public health issues of our lifetime.”
But she insists it’s not the doctors who are to blame for the incorrect prescription of antibiotics. She said other factors like fear of litigation, and workplace culture may lead doctors to prescribe medication.
“…It’s not really fair to put the blame on them. It’s an institutional issue, it’s a national issue, it’s a global issue.”
She's calling for behavioural and cultural change regarding antibiotics, urging people to be aware of their post-surgery state and question if antibiotics are necessary.
