Volume 11 | No. 6 | Nov / Dec 2023 query_builder 1 minute

New antibiotic web content and report available

Drug Programs update

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Safe prescribing of all medications is considered a core competency of all College registrants. While traditional efforts in safe prescribing have focused on psychoactive medication such as opioids and sedatives, the College recognizes that there is potential harm that can come to patients through the prescribing of many different classes of medication.

Antibiotics are one such class. Up to 50 per cent of antibiotics prescribed to patients in primary care are either inappropriate or unnecessary. A recent study estimates that one in four infections in Canada are already resistant to the first drugs used to treat them. Nationally and globally, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is on the rise. About 5,400 deaths in Canada are due to AMR each year, costing the Canadian health-care system about $1.4 billion, and reducing GDP by $2 billion (When Antibiotics Fail, Council of Canadian Academies (2019)).

The College website has been updated to include an overview of antimicrobial stewardship, a resource section and a new report available to registrants. The College drug programs endeavours to support registrants in prescribing safely throughout their careers. Registrants who are licensed for independent practice are encouraged to request a personalized antibiotic prescribing report. The report will compare quarterly antibiotic prescribing volumes with a practice-specific comparator group. 

Note: The report draws no conclusions regarding the appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing or adherence to clinical guidelines and scientific literature. The report serves as supplemental information to assist registrants in optimizing their approach to antimicrobial prescribing and enhancing the overall care provided to patients.

Request a report here. Report updates are available quarterly.