Giving antibiotics for sore throats medicalises a self limiting illness

Little et al have shown that antibiotic prescribing for sore throat increases patients' intention to consult. They therefore randomised 716 patients to immediate prescription, no prescription, or delayed prescription if the sore throat had not settled after three days to see whether immediate prescribing increased reattendance (p 350). There was no difference between the groups in complications, but more of those initially prescribed antibiotics returned to the surgery with sore throat (38% v 27% in the other two groups).


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