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China's IV use nearly triple the average in other countries
By Zhang Xuanchen |
December 24, 2010, Friday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
THE average Chinese was administered eight bottles of intravenous drips last year, nearly triple the average in other countries, a health official said today.
The overuse of IV drips can lead to potential health problems and even put a patient's life at risk, Zhu Zhixin, deputy chief of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a press conference in Beijing.
Chinese doctors prescribed 10.4 billion bottles of intravenous drips last year, far higher than other countries, where a patient on average received less than 3.3 bottles of IV drips, Xinhua news agency reported today.
Chinese hospitals may operate with an unreasonable profit-off-medicine approach, which would lead to the overuse of IVs, Zhu said. A hospital often charges more for a drip than other types of medications while the delivery was charged on a pay-per-dose basis, which could lead a doctor to prescribe more than necessary, the report said.
IVs need to be done by trained people with sterile devices and great care, thus using drips raises the risk of causing secondary infections and other complications compared to taking tablets or having a shot, said Fang Zhouzi, a doctor of bio-chemistry at Michigan State University, in the United States.
Fang is known as a "science cop" for battling against academic misconduct, the report said.
In an essay published last year, Fang said some Chinese patients prefer IVs because they work faster than other types of medications.
Zhu also said it is "common" for Chinese hospitals to abuse antibiotics, hormones, vitamins and IV treatments. Zhu called for a better system to prescribe drugs.
Chinese on average take 10 times as many antibiotics as people in other countries, Wu Zhen, deputy head of the State Food and Drug Administration, said on Thursday. Wu said China produced 210,000 tons of antibiotics every year, adding that excessive use of these drugs can be very dangerous.
The overuse of IV drips can lead to potential health problems and even put a patient's life at risk, Zhu Zhixin, deputy chief of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a press conference in Beijing.
Chinese doctors prescribed 10.4 billion bottles of intravenous drips last year, far higher than other countries, where a patient on average received less than 3.3 bottles of IV drips, Xinhua news agency reported today.
Chinese hospitals may operate with an unreasonable profit-off-medicine approach, which would lead to the overuse of IVs, Zhu said. A hospital often charges more for a drip than other types of medications while the delivery was charged on a pay-per-dose basis, which could lead a doctor to prescribe more than necessary, the report said.
IVs need to be done by trained people with sterile devices and great care, thus using drips raises the risk of causing secondary infections and other complications compared to taking tablets or having a shot, said Fang Zhouzi, a doctor of bio-chemistry at Michigan State University, in the United States.
Fang is known as a "science cop" for battling against academic misconduct, the report said.
In an essay published last year, Fang said some Chinese patients prefer IVs because they work faster than other types of medications.
Zhu also said it is "common" for Chinese hospitals to abuse antibiotics, hormones, vitamins and IV treatments. Zhu called for a better system to prescribe drugs.
Chinese on average take 10 times as many antibiotics as people in other countries, Wu Zhen, deputy head of the State Food and Drug Administration, said on Thursday. Wu said China produced 210,000 tons of antibiotics every year, adding that excessive use of these drugs can be very dangerous.
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