South Carolina Careful Antibiotic Use (SC CAUse)
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Special Announcement:

Get Smart About Antibiotics Week
October 5 - 11, 2009

 “Because sometimes the best medicine is no medicine.”

Did you know that colds, flu, most sore throats, and bronchitis are caused by viruses? Did you know that antibiotics do not help fight viruses? It's true. Also, taking antibiotics when you have a virus may do more harm than good.

 

South Carolina Careful Antibiotic Use (SC CAUse)
Get Smart Know When Antibiotics Work in the Community

CDC launched the National Campaign for Appropriate Antibiotic Use in the Community in 1995. South Carolina joined the effort in 1997 and that year, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) convened a Taskforce to reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance. Many partners joined in the effort. In 2003 the national program was renamed Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work in conjunction with the launch of a national media campaign.

The SC CAUse Taskforce developed educational materials and participated in planning and implementing public information campaigns to achieve the SC CAUse goals to:

  • provide education to parents of young children about why careful antibiotic use is important and to decrease the demand for antibiotics for viral upper respiratory infections
  • provide education to parents about how to take antibiotics correctly when they are needed
  • provide information to healthcare providers about CDC and professional treatment guidelines for common upper respiratory infections with the goal of reducing over prescribing of antibiotics.

Through a CDC Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work in the Community grant, DHEC has continued to implement SC CAUse activities to educate parents and healthcare  providers.  See CDC Get Smart website for more information. 

Contact SC CAUse at: (803) 898-0861