EVERY year 80,000 Chinese die from antibiotics abuse, making China one of the worst offenders in the world.

　　Statistics show that among the country's 15 best-selling medicines, 10 are antibiotics. More than 50 per cent of the medical expenses for Chinese in-patients goes to cover different kinds of antibiotics, while the figure in Western countries is just 15 to 30 per cent.

　　The side effects of antibiotics use can damage organs, cause disorders in the body's normal bacteria and increase the resistance of disease causing germs.

　　Many Chinese believe the myth that antibiotics can diminish inflammation, so they use them to treat everything from toothache to fever.

　　A story from the Xinhua News Agency said that more than 80 per cent of Chinese families have antibiotics stored on shelves at home in case of different kinds of infections.

　　Experts say antibiotics are useless in some 90 per cent of cases of fever caused by throat or upper respiratory infections, which are actually caused by viruses.

　　Children have become the biggest victims of antibiotic abuse where the drug kills normal bacteria leading to damage of children's still growing organs.

　　Statistics in Guangzhou showed that some 17 per cent of local residents now suffer from antibiotic-resistant diseases while the figure was 50 per cent for children, according to data from the local children's hospital.

　　The marked increase of asthma in children recently has a lot to do with antibiotics abuse.

　　Xiao Pan