Use of antibiotics down: DOH

The amount for antibiotics used in Taiwan dropped 8 percent last year compared to the year before, according to a report released by Department of Health and discussed at a meeting of the Control Yuan yesterday.

The report also points out that doctors in clinics are reducing the prescription of antibiotics from 37.44 percent of visits in 1999 to 20.52 percent last year.

Control Yuan members Chang Teh-ming (張德銘), along with his colleagues Lin Ju-liang (林鉅琅) and Huang Chin-jenn (黃勤鎮) were not satisfied with results, however, saying that the government should put much more effort into reducing the inappropriate and excessive use of antibiotics.

Because the inappropriate and excessive use of antibiotics leads to the development of antibiotic-resistant organisms, the Control Yuan censured health authorities for its neglect of the matter in February 1999.

In yesterday's meeting called to examine recent efforts, CEO and president of the Bureau of National Health Insurance, Chang Hong-jen (張鴻仁), said that the bureau should adopt measures suggested by Hu Mom-to (何曼德), an emeritus investigator at the National Health Research Institute, not to haphazardly compensate clinics for antibiotics prescribed for the common cold.

The idea is that if patients hacve to pay for the drugs themselves, consumption is likely to go down.

According to Chang Hong-jen, most upper respiratory tract diseases are caused by viruses rather than bacteria, which cannot be treated with antibiotics.

However, Control Yuan member Chang Teh-ming warned that the measure would only achieve limited success and would not on its own end the overuse of antibiotics.

Wu Yun-dong (吳運東), chairman of Taiwan's China Medical Association, echoed Chang Teh-ming's point of view by saying that education for both doctors and the public in the appropriate use of antibiotics would be vital in correcting the current situation.

"Some doctors favor antibiotics without seriously considering the consequences. In practice, we even find some doctors prescribing antibiotics for each case of the common cold, which need not be treated with the medicine," said Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳), head of the department of infectious diseases at National Taiwan University Hospital.

In addition, Lin said that the abuse of antibiotics in animal husbandry is also a major worry for him.

"The health authorities cannot propose effective measures to properly control the total amount and the flow of illegal antibiotics used in animal husbandry," he said.

Medical authorities have provided evidence of the transfer of resistance through the exchange of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from animals to humans.

Lee Sheng-wan (李聖婉), the convener of Taiwan's medical treatment revolution foundation, suggested that the government develop long-term plans aimed at improving the situation rather than contenting themselves with their achievements to date.