A study by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield finds the global problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria affecting an estimated 20,000 upstate New Yorkers each year. Antibiotic-resistant infections cause about $300 million in unnecessary health care spending and potentially 350 deaths a year.
Corporate Medical Director Martin Lustick says the estimates were pulled from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, which concludes that about 30 percent of antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary and are contributing to the loss of effectiveness for these drugs.
Doctor Lustick says antibiotics are no good for colds, the flu or acute bronchitis, which are caused by viruses and not bacteria. He says if your doctor tells you antibiotics won’t help you, there’s a reason.