According to the survey, an average of 5 out of 10 patients seen by Canadian doctors for treatment of a cold or flu indicate in some way they want antibiotics C even though these medicines do not work against such virus-caused illnesses. As this survey confirms, inappropriate use of antibiotics is a pressing public health challenge in Canada. C and a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto.
Physicians are concerned.
That s why we re taking action. Established in 1996 with an educational grant from Pfizer Canada Inc., a leading pharmaceutical company, this unique coalition was formed to help combat Canada's growing antibiotic resistance problem. NIPA takes step to promote compliance NIPA's goal is to increase public awareness and understanding, and motivate behaviour change, using the survey as a basis for developing tools and information materials which it will distribute to physicians and pharmacists across the country. Now we're looking to change the behaviour of both patients and physicians by responding with educational and support tools. Physicians cited that patient demand for antibiotics and physician concern for missing a secondary infection as the top two barriers to withholding antibiotics in cases where a viral infection was diagnosed.