What everyone should know Use paracetamol for a sore throat

Doctors should not be prescribing antibiotics for most cases of an acute sore throat, says guidance from NICE.

It cites research from 2014, which found that 60% of patients who attended general practice with a sore throat leave with a prescription for antibiotics.

Patients should be encouraged instead to take paracetamol or ibuprofen, and be advised that local anaesthetic or antiseptic lozenges may help.