From November, the prescription of antibiotics will only be done with an electronic prescription.

To date, the total number of all e-prescriptions issued has exceeded 20 million. 

Will digitization help reduce the risk of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing?

At the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic in our country, Veneta Paunova's entire family suffered from the virus.

Their GP prescribes an antibiotic.

," Veneta Paunova told the BTV camera.  

Antibiotics were unnecessarily prescribed to 70% of those infected with COVID in Bulgaria

Pharmacists say patients often insist on getting an over-the-counter antibiotic.

According to Master Pharmacist Saad Alwani, almost all paper prescriptions are currently invalid because the doctor's or the patient's data is massively missing.

"The electronic system allows there to be a trail and that trail can be controlled.

At the time of the COVID pandemic, it was a monstrous thing.

"The overuse of antibiotics has reached monstrous proportions, and I think it was one of the factors in the high mortality rate," noted Saad Alwani, Master of Pharmacy and Pharmacy Manager. 

"I appeal and warn - do not use antibiotics for nothing.

Do not force colleagues and do not ask colleagues in pharmacies to commit a violation of the law," urged Dimitar Marinov, Secretary General of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union.

Study: Millions are dying because of antibiotic resistance

The problem lies in the control over the dispensing of antibiotics in pharmacies,

explains Dr. Marianna Ivanova.

"The only option will be for us GPs to prescribe antibiotics."

It will be very difficult on Saturdays and Sundays, in the emergency and emergency centers, for colleagues to discharge, because there is still no electronic health record of the patient and they will not have access," explained Dr. Mariana Ivanova, general practitioner at the 12th DCC.

The Ministry of Health said the change was in line with EU and WHO policy to combat antibiotic resistance.

electronic prescription

antibiotics