Mar.1 - The Shanghai Health Bureau released new rules prohibiting doctors from prescribing antibiotics to patients suffering from the common cold and other viral diseases from March 1.

 

The new rules state that patients suffering from the common cold may not request antibiotics from doctors. They also say doctors should only prescribe antibiotics when they diagnose a bacterial infection. Doctors should also refrain from prescribing antibiotics to patients suffering from fevers caused by other viral diseases, like hives, viral hepatitis and chicken pox.

 

The Shanghai Medicine Adverse Reaction Monitoring Center has received 12,000 reports of adverse side effects caused by medicines. Half were caused by antibiotics misuse.