To think that we should be able to buy antibiotics accross the counter like a good number of other countries

[Carollocking]

Why do we need to go through the rigmarole of doctors just to get an antibiotic when we know what we need.
What reason is there to prevent us access to them without seeing a doctor.
I know we're not the only country like this but there are plenty of places you can just buy them at the chemist.

[Feefeefs]

www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/antibiotic-resistance/en/

[worridmum]

Because of antibiotic immunity which is a massive massive problem which would be made far worse if people could get them without semi gated doctor access 2 of the anti biotics of last resort have had immune deaseses but no one seems to care about the danger

[MerizionSky]

Drug misuse, overuse and AB resistance being a global threat?

[Orlantina]

How do you know what antibiotic you'll need?

If you don't need an antibiotic or take the wrong one, that will cause massive issues.

[Vroomster]

Because of antibiotic resistance?

Because you don't know what drug you'll need.

Because often things clear up by themselves.

[Nightmanagerfan]

[JCo24]

Grabbing my popcorn.

[Blinkyblink]

Wtf?

Absolutely not. Have you had your head in the sand??

[Supersoaryflappypigeon]

Seriously?!

[HateSummer]

I've been reading about the "super bug" since I was 7/8. That's almost 30 years. You really should look up antibiotic resistance and educate yourself.

[harderandharder2breathe]

YABU

If antibiotics were available ATC you'd get idiots taking them for every sniffle, people not taking them properly, people taking the wrong sort (either more expensive equals better or just the cheapest ones possible)

There is no reasonable argument in favour of it.

[JoandMax]

Because antiobiotics have been massively overused and resistance to them is a major concern!

Also some of the countries where you can buy over the counter are now changing to become prescription only

[Toddlerteaplease]

Because you are not a doctor and therefore don't know what you will need.

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

Antibiotic resistance, inability to differentiate between viral and bacterial infections, picking the wrong type of antibiotic, pharmacists not wanting to give you the wrong thing, missing more serious complication of the illness which a Dr would pick up.... The list goes on.

[Sirzy]

What medical training do you have? Not only to be able to establish if antibiotics are needed but which one is needed?

[StumpyScot92]

We definitely shouldn't be able to. If we did half the population would be idiotic enough to buy them for every cold they get (my gran would probably take them every blooming day 'just in case') not realised antibiotics are useless for viruses and only effective against bacteria.

If you have a recurring problem that requires them your GP will usually allow you to request them over the phone as and when needed, I used to have recurring UTI's when I was younger and if it got bad I could just ring up and because it was a known issue I would get them. But if everyone bought them for every possible illness chances are they would buy the wrong ones, buy them when they don't need them and then superbugs would take over thanks to antibiotic resistance.

I already disagree that they are used preventatively in live stock no way we need to expand that to people too.

[Imamouseduh]

Try educating yourself a little before posting bollocks on here.

[wifeyhun]

This winds me up on a holiday forum I use with people all smug about the anti bs they have bought over the counter.

They wont be as smug when they don't work anymore.

[misskelly]

How would you know what kind to take and what the dosage should be? Coincidentally I've just been prescribed antibiotics that I've never heard of before in a massive dose for a condition I had already guessed I had. I have no medical training so how could I work that one out. Plus, I was told I would need to be admitted if they didn't show signs of working. Buying antibiotics on my own would have been asking for trouble surely?

[JungleInTheRumble]

YABVVVVVU for all the reasons above. People are too dumb to have OTC antibiotics. Doctors are bad enough prescribing them like candy...

[Fernanie]

I think too often people don't actually "know what they need". Unless you frequently get a recurring infection and you're 100% confident it's the same thing every time (in which case I think your GP can sometimes set you up with a "standing order" type of prescription), how do you know if your symptoms are caused by gram positive or gram negative bacteria (which respond to different types of antibiotic)? Or how do you know they're not caused by a virus? Or a fungal infection? In countries where they're available OTC, you get people taking them for coughs and colds (usually viral, not bacterial), or taking the wrong type of antibiotic for their infection. Repeated infections can also be symptomatic for other things, which a doctor might pick up on, but not if you're constantly self-treating at home.
And as PPs have said, all of that injudicious use just adds to our ever-increasing problem of antibiotic resistance.

[Mysterycat23]

YABU

What on earth.

[PatMullins]

I'm surprised you need to ask

[Kokusai]

No.

Most people are fucking stupid "I need antibiotics for my cough" and can't be trusted to use them responsibly.