The use of antibiotic eye drops has almost doubled since becoming available over-the-counter four years ago, raising concerns about drug resistance, a new study claims.

Researchers from Oxford University reported that by 2007 3.4m doses of the conjunctivitis drug chloramphenicol were being sold annually – a  47.8% increase on figures prior to the change.

However, researchers highlighted that evidence from clinical trials showed that the eye drops have minimal benefit to patients and in many cases the problem resolved itself.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reclassified the eye drop in 2005, allowing pharmacists to hand it out to customers without a prescription.

Whilst figures obtained from IMS Health show that the number of prescriptions handed out by GPs since the reclassification has fallen, with prescriptions at 1.94m in 2007, purchases from pharmacies increased to 1.46m the same year.

The findings, which were published in the British Journal of General Practice, have implications on reducing antibiotic use to limit bacteria acquiring resistance to the drugs.  

Dr Peter Rose, lead researcher on the project, said: “It’s very important that antibiotics aren’t used where they’re not needed. We’ve shown that selling eye drops over the counter for conjunctivitis has resulted in greater use at the same time as evidence showed they have little benefit.”

He added: “The move to provide greater convenience and involve patients more in their treatment of choices is a worthy goal. But in the case of antibiotics, policymakers need to balance this aim with our new evidence on how such moves affect overall usage.”

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