Angina, cystitis… antibiotics soon without prescription in pharmacies. Instructions for use with our pharmacist

in collaboration with

Dr. Yves Dour (Doctor in Pharmacy)

It was the start of the health announcements this Thursday, August 31. During a visit to Rouen, the Prime Minister announced more than a billion euros in salary increases for hospital caregivers, but also a practical measure that concerns us all: the possibility for pharmacists to prescribe antibiotics directly to patients with urinary infections or angina. The goal is to facilitate access to care in the territory.

The issuance of antibiotics only after a bacterial test

According to the announcement, the prescription of antibiotics would only intervene under conditions: in the case of cystitis and angina, for the moment, and “as soon as (the pharmacist) has carried out a test to confirm the bacterial origin” of the disease and an interview with the patient.

“To find out if it’s bacterial or viral, the pharmacist will do a rapid diagnostic orientation test so that he can then prescribe an antibiotic. This is very important, for example, in the case of cystitis. This is something that is lived regularly, often on weekends. It is extremely painful and there is this annoying side sometimes because you know what medicine you should take, the pharmacist knows it too but you do not have the prescription”, developed the Minister of Health Aurélien Rousseau this morning on France Info.

“A good measure… you still need to have the stocks” according to Yves Dour, pharmacist

On the practical side, the measure is well received by pharmacists: “This is great news for patients.” rejoiced Éric Myon, secretary general of the UNPF, the National Union of Pharmacies of France, invited Friday, September 1 on France Inter. “It will allow patients to do without doctors and to be treated quickly, especially in areas known as medical deserts” stresses for his part Yves Dour, doctor of pharmacy contacted by Doctissimo. “If pharmacists were already authorized to perform TROD (rapid diagnostic orientation tests), they will no longer be attached to a coordinated place of practice such as a nursing home” he explains.

Will the act be simpler for all that? “Not necessarily”, tempers our expert. “Already, not all pharmacists do TRODs for angina, in particular. But above all, it must go with access to fosfomycin for urinary tract infections and amoxicillin for angina. However, these are currently stocks with very tight flows, which are lacking in pharmacies. So how to do it?”.

“It is not delegating these acts that will unclog the cabinets” for Dr Fabien Quédeville

Side attending physicians, the announcement is a little more cringe. The unions speak today of a “cache misery” measure. An argument explained to us by Dr. Fabien Quedeville, general practitioner:

“We should already know if delegating angina and urinary infections would relieve congestion in medical practices, there is no data available today on this. The real burden on physicians is administrative overload. But it’s amazing, that we never delegate it!” he laments.

The doctor is not against the new attributions given to pharmacists, but he agitates a lack of coherence in government decisions.

“Giving more meaning to the profession of pharmacist by allowing them to administer vaccines, for example, I find that it is useful, because it is a single act, which is of service and increases vaccination coverage. Which is annoying, it is to delegate medical acts which require a clinical examination and which can, in addition in this case (the search for streptococcus) increase the prescription of antibiotics, in a context where we over-consume them. there is no longer any consistency in the organization of this healthcare system”.