The maker of a popular over-the-counter cold and flu medicine this week launched a new campaign to help counter inappropriate antibiotic use.
The "Flip the Scrip" campaign from Reckitt, maker of Mucinex, aims to educate consumers about antibiotic misuse and the role it plays in promoting antibiotic resistance. The company will provide posters, educational materials, educational videos, and audio public service announcements to urgent care clinics and primary care centers that explain why products like Mucinex, rather than antibiotics, are the best option for treating cold and flu symptoms.
Driver of antibiotic misuse
Although respiratory tract infections are primarily caused by viruses, they are a significant driver of unnecessary antibiotic prescribing, particularly in urgent care clinics. A 2018 study found that nearly half of the patients who visited US urgent care clinics in 2014 for respiratory illnesses that don't require antibiotics ended up with antibiotic prescriptions.
Many patients believe antibiotics will relieve cold and flu symptoms, and clinicians say patient pressure for antibiotics plays a role in unnecessary prescribing.
"People don't realize that antibiotic misuse and antibiotic resistance are a huge societal issue, and they often expect a prescription for antibiotics to help them feel better," Mark Pearson, vice president of marketing for health brands at Reckitt, said in a press release, adding that the campaign aims to help patients feel more confident when their doctors prescribed an over-the-counter medication.
The partnership will focus on urgent care and primary care facilities in states that have a high index of certain antibiotic-resistant pathogens and high rates of antibiotic prescribing.