A Warning on Risks of Antibiotics

The California Medical Assn. announced Friday that it is launching a campaign to warn people about the dangers of overusing antibiotics because of bioterrorism threats.

“We are concerned as physicians that alarm over bioterrorism will cause some patients to seek and take antibiotics needlessly,” said Dr. Frank Staggers, president of the group.

Patients throughout the state will be receiving from their doctors one-page explanations on the dangers of taking antibiotics unnecessarily. Antibiotics can cause harmful side effects and decrease the body’s ability to fight future disease, association officials said.

“Sometimes, the best prescription for your health is no prescription at all,” said Staggers, an Oakland urologist. “That’s the message.” Overuse of antibiotics over the decades has led to an increase in diseases that are resistant to antibiotics.

The note, modeled after a doctor’s prescription pad form, provides doctors with a way to explain to patients why taking antibiotics is not always the best remedy for a minor illness or to prevent disease. The notes were printed in Spanish and English and sent to 65,000 physicians in the state.

“Doctors were saying to the CMA that patients were coming in and demanding prescriptions because of their fear of bioterrorism,” said Karen Nikos, a spokeswoman for the professional association of 35,000 physicians. “So these notes were sent to doctors’ offices throughout the state and doctors will give them to patients at their offices.”

In addition to the notes sent to doctors, electronic versions were sent to county health officers, leaders in medical specialty societies and the California Medical Assn.’s county medical groups.