Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026
10:49
Antibiotic Dereplication Using the Antibiotic Resistance Platform
Published on: October 17, 2019
Non-prescription antibiotic use in Hungary
Maria Matuz1, Ria Benko, Peter Doro
1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Szikra u. 8, Hungary, 6725, Szeged, Hungary. matuz@clph.szote.u-szeged.hu
Pharmacy World & Science : PWS
|May 29, 2007
Summary
Non-prescription antibiotic sales in Hungary tripled between 2000-2004, reaching nearly 2% prevalence. Price significantly impacts non-prescription antibiotic use, suggesting interventions to curb this trend.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
- Health Economics
Background:
- Antibiotics are prescription-only in Hungary, yet non-prescription sales are prevalent.
- Understanding non-prescription antibiotic use is crucial for antimicrobial stewardship.
- Regional variations in antibiotic access and use require investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify non-prescription antibiotic sales in Hungary from 2000-2004.
- To analyze national and regional trends in antibiotic consumption.
- To identify factors influencing non-prescription antibiotic use.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of non-prescription systemic antibiotic sales (ATC class J01) over five years.
- Quantification of antibiotic consumption using WHO ATC/DDD methodology.
- Examination of associations between price, prescription, and non-prescription antibiotic use.
Main Results:
- Non-prescription antibiotic sales increased threefold, reaching ~2% prevalence by 2004.
- Significant regional disparities were observed in non-prescription antibiotic sales.
- Doxycycline was the leading non-prescription antibiotic; price correlated with use (R=-0.732).
Conclusions:
- Non-prescription antibiotic sales persist despite legal restrictions in Hungary.
- Strict enforcement, price adjustments, and public/pharmacist education can reduce non-prescription sales.
- Further research is needed to explore other self-medication drivers.
Related Concept Videos
01:02Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
Prescription drugs require a prescription from a medical practitioner and can only be obtained from a pharmacy. They have many applications, including treating pain, anxiety, and hypertension.
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
00:57Antibiotic Selection
Overview
01:22Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Stability-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence
Generic intravenous (IV) drugs are considered bioequivalent to their branded counterparts due to their 100% bioavailability upon administration. However, variations in stability among different drug products can significantly influence their therapeutic performance, even if they are pharmaceutically equivalent.Cefuroxime, a prophylactic antimicrobial, is often used as a single-dose IV injection for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. A 3 g dose typically provides...
01:28Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis
Bacterial pathogens depend on precise and efficient DNA replication to sustain infection. Two type II topoisomerases—DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV—are critical to this process, as they resolve DNA supercoiling and unlink chromosomes during replication. Fluoroquinolones, synthetic derivatives of quinolones, exploit this mechanism by stabilizing the transient DNA–enzyme cleavage complex, preventing strand religation, and causing lethal double-strand breaks. These antibiotics are selectively...
01:21Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics
Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine by saving countless lives from bacterial infections. However, their widespread use has inadvertently harmed the delicate balance of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, immune responses, and maintaining intestinal health. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types, disrupt this ecosystem by eradicating both harmful and beneficial...
01:27Production of Antibiotics
Penicillin, one of the earliest and most widely used antibiotics, is produced industrially by the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. Large stirred-tank bioreactors ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of liters maintain tightly controlled temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen conditions to support fungal metabolism and maximize antibiotic yield. Penicillin is a secondary metabolite, synthesized primarily during the stationary growth phase, which requires a carefully managed...