New NICE guideline sets out antimicrobial prescribing strategy for acute sore throat

According to new guidelines from NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, UK) doctors should only prescribe medicines for more severe cases that are likely have been caused by a bacterial infection. Researchers have found out that antibiotics are prescribed in 60% of sore throat cases in UK. However acute sore throat is often caused by a virus, lasts for about a week, and most people get better without antibiotics. New NICE guidelines stresses that most people should instead use pain relief drugs, which also include aspirin and ibuprofen, and certain throat lozenges, as well as drinking plenty of water and resting. It is important that antibiotics are only used when they are really needed. Unnecessary use of antibiotics among both children and adults is one of the forces driving AMR.

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Access NICE Guideline: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng84