Study finds antibiotic prescriptions for children fell by 56 per cent during first eight months of pandemic

A new study has found that prescriptions for children’s medicines dropped dramatically last year during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Researchers from the University of Michigan studied data from pharmacies across the country, and found that prescribed medications dropped by over a quarter compared to the previous year and that the dispensing of antibiotics fell by 56 per cent.

For the study which was published in the journal Pediatrics, the research team analysed a database that included 92 per cent of pharmacies around the country.

Dr Kao-Ping, lead author and paediatrician and researcher at University of Michigan Health, said “The decline in the number of children receiving antibiotics is consistent with the large decreases in infection-related pediatric visits during 2020.

“Because antibiotics have important side effects, the dramatic decreases in antibiotic dispensing may be a welcome development.

“However, declines in dispensing of chronic disease drugs could be concerning.”

Before the pandemic, around 25.8 million children received prescriptions in the US every month. The number fell 26 per cent to just over 18 million a month between March and December 2020. Prescriptions for acute conditions, like antibiotics, fell by 51 per cent, with antibiotics themselves falling by 56 per cent.

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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