Many Physicians Prescribe Inappropriate Flu Drugs: New Study
Approximately 36,000 U.S. deaths are attributed to the flu annually, but seeing your physician at the first signs of flu may not be as beneficial as you think -- last year, thousands of primary care physicians prescribed flu drugs that were known to be ineffective. Furthermore, 88% of the influenza lab tests ordered last year produced false positive results nearly 30% of the time. The findings are the result of research recently published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) -- a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Two anti-viral drugs frequently prescribed for shortening flu symptoms last year -- amantadine and rimantadine -- were no longer recommended as treatment options due to high rates of viral resistance.
The study, which centered on approximately 750 physician visits due to flu symptoms, revealed that doctors prescribed anti-viral agents approximately 54% of the time. Unfortunately, 25% of those anti-viral agents were either amantadine or rimantadine -- drugs now considered to be ineffective as flu treatments. Researchers also noted that while 69% of all patients studied received influenza lab tests, the vast majority were rapid antigen tests, which are known to frequently return false positive results.
Authors of the study advise that educational measures should be taken to inform more physicians of current treatment recommendations to help halt the prescription of ineffective drugs. They also recommend that physician education should include the limitations of rapid antigen testing, so that test results are interpreted appropriately.
Previously on the DC Metro Area Medical Malpractice Law Blog, we have posted articles related to:
- Experts recommend new warning labels for children's Tamiflu and Relenza
- Questions and Answers regarding flu vaccination
- Physicians warn that U.S. pandemic flu readiness plans overlook children
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