Dermatologists prescribe more antibiotics per clinician than prescribers in any other specialty.

The American Acne and Rosacea Society (AARS) is calling on patients and prescribers to ensure appropriate use of antibiotics to manage rosacea during Rosacea Awareness Month.

“It has been well known for many years that dermatologists prescribe more antibiotics per clinician than prescribers in any other specialty. We prescribe antibiotics for rosacea, acne, and numerous other dermatologic diseases as well as for patients undergoing surgery. However, concerns about antibiotic resistance require us to thoughtfully assess our use of these important agents,” says AARS President Elect James Q. Del Rosso, DO, in a news release. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls antimicrobial resistance “an urgent global public health threat.” 

“One of the things that we have focused on and advanced very successfully is the Scientific Panel on Antibiotic Use in Dermatology (SPAUD) where we discuss the responsible use of antibiotics. We stay on top of the information that's coming out and the information that was previously published as best as possible so that we utilize antibiotics appropriately and make sure that we're giving our patients the best possible care,” Dr. Del Rosso says. 

“There is a role for antibiotics, but prescribers should always be looking at other modalities and not just reflexively be prescribing the same way we've done things over and over again. It is important for the field of dermatology that we continue to progress and to develop better treatments,” he adds. 

Antibiotic use in farming is also a key driver of resistance in humans, as detailed in SPAUD publications. 

“There is a drive to get away from antibiotic use because of the issue of antibiotic resistance,” Dr. Del Rosso says. “We want to make sure we handle that responsibly and that we always make sure we're taking care of patients the best way that we can.” 

More information about SPAUD and access to its publications is available online at acneandrosacea.org.