The Prescription of Antimicrobials in Brazil

To the Editor—Professor Flavia Rossi in her article ‘‘The Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance in Brazil’’ [1], brings an update of the main Brazilian studies on the subject. The article describes the importance of the indiscriminate use of antibiotics as a factor to microbial resistance. It is important to report that after sending the above article in September of 2010, the National Agency of Sanitary Surveillance in Brazil approved, in a Board Resolution (RDC No. 44, October 26, 2010), procedures for the control of antibiotics in the community [2]. This resolution states that antibiotics can only be purchased in public and private pharmacies with a prescription, and these prescriptions are valid for a short period only. Therefore, since April 2011, in Brazil the use of antimicrobials is no longer allowed without a prescription.