1. Antibiotics on Demand: Advances in Asynchronous Telemedicine Call for Increased Antibiotic Surveillance.
- Author
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O'Toole R, Martinez KA, Rothberg MB, Diiorio G, Stenehjem EA, Ward KE, and LaPlante KL
- Subjects
- Humans, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Telemedicine, Antimicrobial Stewardship
- Abstract
The rapid growth of telehealth services has brought about direct-to-consumer telemedicine platforms, enabling patients to request antibiotics online without a virtual or face-to-face consultation. While telemedicine aims to enhance accessibility, this trend raises significant concerns regarding appropriate antimicrobial use and patient safety. In this viewpoint, we share our first-hand experience with 2 direct-to-consumer platforms, where we intentionally sought inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions for nonspecific symptoms strongly indicative of a viral upper respiratory infection. Despite the lack of clear necessity, requested antibiotic prescriptions were readily transmitted to our local pharmacy following a simple monetary transaction. The effortless acquisition of patient-selected antibiotics online, devoid of personal interactions or consultations, underscores the urgent imperative for intensified antimicrobial stewardship initiatives led by state and national public health organizations in telehealth settings. By augmenting oversight and regulation, we can ensure the responsible and judicious use of antibiotics, safeguard patient well-being, and preserve the efficacy of these vital medications., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. K. L. L. has received research funding from Gilead, AbbVie, and Pfizer, and reports consulting fees from Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Melinta Therapeutics, AbbVie, Seres, Basilea Pharmaceutica, and Shionogi. M. B. R. serves as a consultant to Blue Cross Blue Shield. E. A. S. reports a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Safety and Healthcare Epidemiology Prevention Research Development (SHEPheRD) contract (Implementation of antibiotic stewardship in an urgent care network) and a CDC Epicenter Grant (Mountain West Stewardship Collaborative). All other authors report no potential conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)
- Published
- 2024
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