Changes in prescription of antibiotics in general practice in relation to different strategies for drug information.

The worldwide use of antibiotics is increasing with increasing costs and resistant bacteria as a consequence. The Danish use of antibiotics is one of the lowest in DDD/1,000 inhabitants/year; however, the use of ampicillin and co-trimoxazole has been found to be too high. An information campaign in the beginning of 1987, using written material, stressed the importance of reducing the ampicillin and co-trimoxazole and increasing the penicillin usage in Denmark. This campaign was followed up by 10 lectures given by the same person in two (I and II) of the five counties of Zealand, Denmark. In county I, the lectures were given in meetings arranged by the local department of clinical microbiology. In county II, the lectures were given at meetings sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. The prescribing habits were generally changed significantly. In county I, the changes were significantly higher compared with counties only receiving written material. In county II, the prescribing habits did not change further compared with the counties only receiving written material. It is concluded that face-to-face information can improve the efficacy of written information, but sponsorship by pharmaceutical companies may weaken this efficacy.