More than a few grocery store chains have recently announced that they would provide free generic antibiotics to their customers who present a prescription. Normally Consumer Reports would applaud this kind of price competition, but not in this case.
Inappropriate use of antibiotics in viral infections such as the common cold, bronchitis, and run-of-the-mill sore throat is still much too common. Antibiotics not only don't help those viral infections but can cause serious side effects. In addition, every antibiotic prescribed unnecessarily increases the risk of a future infection from a bacterial mutation that is resistant to antibiotics. Consumer activists supported by Consumers Union have long led a national campaign to raise awareness of deadly health-care acquired infections, such as methicillin- (a type of penicillin) resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or a super-infection from Clostridium difficile. We expect hospitals and doctors to figure out how to prevent such disastrous infections, but pharmacies and consumers should help too.
All doctors are human. In my own practice refusal to prescribe an antibiotic was the most common reason patients became upset with me and questioned my advice. I could often see it coming, and to be honest, some days I just didn’t have it in me to get into an argument.
Research focused on drug costs has shown that the price patients pay is an important factor in asking for and filling a prescription. We know from recent evidence that many patients are doing without important drugs in order to get through tougher financial times. The opposite is also true: When drugs are free, consumers want them and use them more. Another possible problem of the giveaway program is that it could lead to stockpiling of antibiotics for a rainy day by patients who see several doctors and receive prescriptions from each. Theoretically, such practices could cause drug shortages.
Why did these pharmacies choose antibiotics and not another class of drugs, such as blood pressure medicines, to give away for free? Considerable research suggests that making the most common high blood pressure drugs free would significantly improve people's health. More people would take these important medicines, reducing heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. Our guess is that this would not be good business for pharmacies. Antibiotics are typically used for only a short period of time and could be used to lure potential customers into the store.
Pharmacies have a responsibility beyond their market share and bottom lines. Good old American capitalism can work well, but in this case it could help resistant bacteria more than consumers.
—John Santa, M.D., M.P.H., director, Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center
Read our blog on preventing MRSA, learn more about the national campaign StopHospitalInfections.org, and TELL US WHAT YOU THINK about the free antibiotics program.
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