THE role of pharmacists in providing rationale and advice around the use of antibiotics and NSAIDs in treating respiratory tract infections (RTIs) such as in the Pragmatic Ibuprofen Paracetamol and Steam (PIP) study, becomes integral to the results of a study published in the BMJ Open.
The research paper focused on strategies for respiratory infections in primary care, and included delaying of prescriptions options but emphasising the need for thorough explanation to "minimise mixed messages about the severity of illnesses and causation by viruses or bacteria".
Study participants making decisions about their treatment said they drew on advice from both professional, alternative and lay sources, "which included pharmacists, family members and the media."
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