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Fluoroquinolones are the most commonly prescribed antimicrobials in the U.S. Several strategies have been proposed to control their use. Now, in a population-based, cross-sectional, time-series analysis, researchers in Canada have assessed the effect of formulary restrictions imposed on all fluoroquinolones except norfloxacin in an elderly population. The investigators examined records from administrative healthcare databases covering 1.4 million persons aged ≥65 years living in Ontario between January 1994 and March 2002.
The antibiotic restriction policy was put in place in March 2001. Before the introduction of the restriction policy, fluoroquinolones were the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial group, accounting for 63.6 prescriptions…