CDC initiative aims at controlling antibiotic resistance

ATLANTA The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is spreading the word on its “Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work” campaign.

The campaign has been around since the late 1990s in an effort to address antibiotic resistance in the country. The campaign aims to reduce the rise of antibiotic resistance by promoting the appropriate use of antibiotics for respiratory conditions (otitis media, sinusitis, pharyngitis, acute bronchitis, and the common cold).

In response, Get Smart is designating Oct. 6-10, 2008 as “Get Smart about Antibiotics Week,” in hopes of raising more awareness about antibiotic resistance to doctors, clinicians and patients.

The campaign would like to reach out to more health care professionals about the CDC’s principles for appropriate antibiotic use for pediatric and adult upper respiratory tract infections, which include when to use antibiotics for viral infections, to tell patients to remain on the medications for the length of time indicated by their physician in hopes of not becoming resistant to the drugs and to make sure physicians are prescribing the right medications.