Over the counter chlamydia drug

Former Member

Story

For the first time an antibiotic for chlamydia is to be made available from pharmacists, without a prescription.

Naturally, people are worried that, shock-horror, people may now......have sex without being punished for it. :nervous:

What do you think?

Former Member

Call me old fashioned but I'd rather people get a diagnosis before taking antibiotics.

Former Member

I'm with Budda on the medical (but I'm not a Doctor so its gut rather than expert), especially as overuse of anti-biotics can lead to virus developing an immunity.

But other than that I can't see the problem, it's no different from being able to get lots of other things over the counter

Former Member

budda wrote: »

Call me old fashioned but I'd rather people get a diagnosis before taking antibiotics.

I agree. Improper use of antibiotics is the main reason we now have strains of MRSA resistant even to vancomycin, which is one of the very few last lines of defence against multi-resistant bacterial strains. The problem is only going to get worse, and we need to be keeping their use to a minimum. Self-diagnosis should not be adequate for a prescription.

Indrid Cold

budda wrote: »

Call me old fashioned but I'd rather people get a diagnosis before taking antibiotics.

No-one will be able to simply walk off the street and buy the drug without some evidence they have chlamydia, or are likely to have it.

Unless I misunderstood, a diagnosis will still be needed?

Former Member

Unless I misunderstood, a diagnosis will still be needed?

That's what I thought although I don't think someone needs antibiotics if they have had sex with someone who has tested positive, they should be tested themselves, it doesn't necessarily mean transmission yadda yadda yadda.

Out of interest doesn't chlamydia testing itself have quite a high false-negative rate? I remember being told that, but I don't know if it's just for swabbing...

Former Member

wrote:

No-one will be able to simply walk off the street and buy the drug without some evidence they have chlamydia, or are likely to have it.

Indrid Cold wrote: »

Unless I misunderstood, a diagnosis will still be needed?

But what evidence is it that they will need? Even if their partner has it thats not a diagnosis.

And even if they have all the symptoms and their partner has it they should still be checked out to make sure they dont have something else as well.

I think its quite a dangerous idea which will lead to the over use of anti-biotics and it may lead to the belief that STD's are easy to get rid of.

Former Member

Flashman's Ghost wrote: »

I'm with Budda on the medical (but I'm not a Doctor so its gut rather than expert), especially as overuse of anti-biotics can lead to virus developing an immunity.

Its small and rather petty of me, but you dont use anti-biotics on a virus.

Former Member

go_away wrote: »

That's what I thought although I don't think someone needs antibiotics if they have had sex with someone who has tested positive, they should be tested themselves, it doesn't necessarily mean transmission yadda yadda yadda.

Out of interest doesn't chlamydia testing itself have quite a high false-negative rate? I remember being told that, but I don't know if it's just for swabbing...

Yes it does have quite a high false negative rate, I tried to understand why but couldn't quite get it

Alot of the time if a person presents at the GUM clinic saying they have slept with someone they believe to have chlamydia they will take a sample but give them antibiotics straight away instead of waiting for the results of the sample.

Former Member

Isnt chlamydia also quite symptomless? If so how do people actually know the anti-biotics have worked and fully removed the infection?

Former Member

budda wrote: »

Its small and rather petty of me, but you dont use anti-biotics on a virus.

Nevertheless it's an illustration of the lack of public understanding of antibiotics.

Former Member

It's normally asymptomatic, I've heard it being said so many times that I can't fully remember what most the symptoms are. Yellowish discharge?

I'd imagine some clinics do follow up testing? I'm not sure. At MSI some PCTs used to pay to give doxycycline on a 'just in case' basis for them to take after having surgery. Because of a lack of funding, most people don't get them anymore.

Former Member

budda wrote: »

Its small and rather petty of me, but you dont use anti-biotics on a virus.

I told you i wasn't a Doctor

Former Member

The vast majoriy of people don't have any symptoms which is why people can have it for years before realising they have it until it cause major complications.

I know that people who were given antibiotics at the GUM clinic I was at were not requested for follow up visits they were just given the tablets and that was that basically.

Former Member

Surely this goes hand in hand with the over-the-counter chlamydia tests that pharmacies will sell?

Former Member

Yes, but with the tests you have to visit your GP/Gum clinic for the antibiotics.

Will the antibiotics be handed out after a consultation with the pharmacist or are you able to just ask for them like asking for some paracetamol?

Former Member

I would guess it's like buying co-codomol.