Nov. 14-20 is "Get Smart About Antibiotics Week," a joint effort by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health care professional, government, academic, international and industry partners to encourage the appropriate use of antibiotics.
Antibiotics fight bacterial infections. For example, they are used to treat strep throat and skin infections. Antibiotics are not effective against viral infections such as colds and the flu. The misuse of antibiotics has contributed to one of the world's most pressing public health problems today—antibiotic resistance.
In a new video, FDA expert Joseph Toerner, M.D., MPH, explains why you may not need antibiotics whenever you're sick and the problems they can cause if taken unnecessarily.
To learn when antibiotics are needed—and when they aren't—and what FDA is doing to combat antibiotic resistance, visit 
To watch the video, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiMrcOc3HBM
-OR- Email & Password
