Krazyhorse, need your expertise...

[MrFun]

In the absence of pigovian taxes on antibiotics only doctors can be expected to exercise restraint in this.

Doctors are only ones who can hand out the antibiotics, but patients need to have more restraint in going to the doctor to ask for a prescription of antibiotics at the slightest thing wrong.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Doctors are only ones who can hand out the antibiotics, but patients need to have more restraint in going to the doctor to ask for a prescription of antibiotics at the slightest thing wrong.

Nope. Many others can write scrips.

In the United States, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines what requires a prescription. Prescription drugs are generally authorized by veterinarians, dentists, optometrists, medical practitioners, and advanced practice nurses. It is generally required that an MD, DO, PA, OD, DPM, NMD, ND, DVM, DDS, or DMD, some Psychologists (see Medical Psychology), Nurse Practitioners and other APRNs write the prescription; basic-level registered nurses, medical assistants, emergency medical technicians, psychologists, and social workers as examples, do not have the authority to prescribe drugs.[1]

Lots of docs have nurse practitioners handling routine stuff anymore.

[MrFun]

Yeah - all types of medical practitioners can. That's what I meant.

I wasn't aware that nurses can fill out prescriptions. But they can probably only write out prescriptions if the doctor has instructed them to do so, right?