Do rapid diagnostic tests help against antibiotic shortages?

France is considering only allowing antibiotics to be prescribed if a rapid diagnostic test is carried out beforehand. This would make it possible to determine with certainty whether the infection is bacterial or viral. This could on the one hand counteract the lack of antibiotics and on the other hand reduce antibiotic resistance. DP MPs Gilles Baum and Gusty Graas asked the Minister of Health how many antibiotics have been prescribed in Luxembourg in the last five years and whether doctors should be made more aware of prescribing diagnostic tests.

Question

« La pénurie de médicaments préoccupe les systèmes de santé à l’échelle mondiale. La France veut désormais lutter contre la pénurie d’antibiotiques. Il serait question de lier l’obtention d’antibiotiques à la réalisation d’un test rapide d’orientation diagnostique (TROD) en pharmacie. Ce test permet de déterminer s’il s’agit d’une infection bactérienne ou virale. Ce n’est qu’après confirmation d’une infection bactérienne que les patients reçoivent les antibiotiques prescrits. L’objectif est d’une part de réduire la pénurie d’antibiotiques et d’autre part de lutter contre la résistance aux antibiotiques.

Dans ce contexte, nous aimerions poser les questions suivantes à Madame la Ministre de la Santé:

  • Combien d’antibiotiques ont été prescrits au Luxembourg au cours des cinq dernières années ?
  • À notre connaissance, des tests rapides d’orientation diagnostique ne sont pas utilisés au Luxembourg en cas de suspicion d’infection bactérienne. Madame la Ministre, envisage-t-elle une telle approche pour le Luxembourg ?
  • Madame la Ministre, est-elle d’avis qu’il faut sensibiliser les médecins à prescrire de tels tests ? »

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