A new report shows that one in 50 Irish people is "pill popping" antibiotics every day.
However, the drugs are not working in many cases because the symptoms are caused by a virus and they only work against bacteria.The antibiotics are prescribed mostly by family doctors, and do not include drugs given to hospital patients.The rate we are taking some of the drugs such as penicillin is on the rise, said the report from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).Commenting on the trends Martin Cormican, Professor of Bacteriology at the School of Medicine in NUI Galway, said:
"On any given day more than two out of every 100 are taking an antibiotic. In countries doing best the number is closer to one in every 100.He added: "Antibiotics are great when you really need them, but we have known for years that a lot of the time people with minor infections may be better off without antibiotics. - See more at: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/
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