May 28, 2010
Lowering antibiotic use is critical to slowing the evolution of resistance. Rates of antibiotic prescribing in the United States are among the highest in the world (Figure ES.4). Reducing prescribing, however, involves a tension between what is good for the individual patient and what is good for the rest of society. Patient and physician education can decrease antibiotic use to some degree, but the long-term effectiveness of educational programs is unclear.
