Antibiotic treatment for acute otitis media

93% of patients at a GP practice in Surrey were given antibiotics for acute otitis media over a year. Only 52% of these antibiotics were given according to the NICE guideline criteria, offering massive scope for a more rationalised approach to antibiotic prescribing. Given the huge importance of controlling antibiotic resistance and the large incidence of acute otitis media, any reforms could potentially massively reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions in the community. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.