Pharmacists can now prescribe antibiotics without a prescription: which pathologies are concerned ?

Les pharmaciens peuvent prescrire des antibiotiques pour deux pathologies bien définies. Illustration MAXPPP – Aurélien Accart

Pharmacists can now prescribe antibiotics to patients without a prescription. But under certain conditions.

C’was a measure proposed as part of the social security financing law. It has just been recorded by its registration this Tuesday in the Official Journal.

As spotted by Le Parisien, the decree gives pharmacists the possibility of prescribing antibiotics without prescriptions in certain cases. The field of action is limited in pharmacies to two pathologies: "bacterial angina caused by group A streptococcal&quot ; and the "acute cystitisuncomplicated in women".

Tests before prescription

Before prescribing antibiotics, the pharmacist will need to do some checks. He must in particular check "that the person does not present emergency exclusion criteria, other exclusion criteria or signs of seriousness& ;quot; and carry out "rapid diagnostic orientation" tests to ensure the nature of the pathology.

Thus in the event of suspicion of angina, the pharmacist must use a rapid test "oropharyngeal for diagnostic guidance for strep throat group A" and in case of suspicion of cystitis, suggest a "urinary test for diagnostic research guidance a minimum of nitrituria and leukocyturia. A condition of age of the patient must also be respected.

When this measure was announced in 2023, the stated objective was twofold. It aimed to reduce the use of antibiotics in France. Moreover, this measure should make it possible to relieve general practitioners, respond to medical deserts and also simplify the lives of patients who think suffer from one of these two diseases.