‘Just In Case’ antibiotics

We are often asked by patients to prescribe “just in case” antibiotics, especially when travelling abroad.

There are two scenarios where it is recommended:

• Patients with COPD with predictable exacerbations
• Patients with recurrent urine infections reliably related to intercourse

In all other scenarios it is not recommended. This is for several reasons:

• It is not covered by our contract as an NHS service
• It is not recommended in terms of antibiotic stewardship as likely leads to inappropriate targeting of antibiotic use and increased resistance
• It is not recommended for patient safety (it’s likely the antibiotics won’t be the correct ones for the infection you get, or even delay you seeking medical help if unwell)
• It is not recommended by our medicolegal insurance company as we are prescribing a drug without an indication or follow up or clinical assessment
• It leads to increased waste as the antibiotics are likely to expire before use

If you do develop an infection abroad, you should seek appropriate medical advice at the time.