Prescription of the more potent antibiotics is more prevalent in Malta than in the large majority of EU countries, ranking second in a recent study.
Conducted by the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the study, ‘Health at a Glance: Europe 2014’, notes that quinolones and cephalosporins are considered second-line antibiotics in most prescribing guidelines.
Their use should be restricted to ensure availability of effective second-line therapy if the first line fails.
Read more on Times of Malta.