Study recommends scaling down antibiotic prescriptions to curb antibiotic resistance 

Factors such as the doctor not knowing the patient, limited access to scans or testing or a high workload can increase the chances of antibiotic prescribing, the study said. 

Antibiotics can save lives but their use can also drive antibiotic resistance, which is “a major threat to public health”, researchers in Cork have found.

A study on two years of antibiotic prescribing at Southdoc found 59% were for respiratory illnesses. The study advised a focus on reducing this trend, particularly for children, to help prevent antibiotic resistance.