Use paracetamol to relieve a sore throat rather than antibiotics
The majority of sore throats do not need antibiotics and medicated lozenges may only help to reduce pain by a small amount, NICE says.
Guidance
We use the best available evidence to develop recommendations that guide decisions in health, public health and social care.
Published guidance on this topic (37)
- New guidance in the last 6 months (8)
- Updated guidance in the last 6 months (0)
- In development guidance (4)
NICE advice
Critical assessment of evidence to help you make decisions. Advice, rather than formal NICE guidance.
Published advice on this topic (4)
- New advice in the last 6 months (1)
- Updated advice in the last 6 months (0)
- In development advice (0)
Quality standards
Set out priority areas for quality improvement in health and social care.
Published quality standards on this topic (1)
- New quality standards in the last 6 months (0)
- Updated quality standards in the last 6 months (0)
- In development quality standards (0)
NICE Pathways
Interactive topic-based flowcharts that allow you to navigate our recommendations on any subject.
Guidance by programme
-
NICE guidelines (7)
Review the evidence across broad health and social care topics.
-
Technology appraisal guidance (6)
Reviews the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new treatments.
-
Diagnostics guidance (1)
Review new diagnostic technologies for adoption in the NHS.
-
Interventional procedures guidance (28)
Assessments of whether procedures are safe enough and work well enough for wider use in the NHS.
-
Medical technologies guidance (1)
Reviews new medical devices for adoption in the NHS.
Advice by programme
-
Medtech innovation briefings (4)
Review the evidence and likely costs of medical devices and technologies.
Products being developed or updated
-
In development (4)
Guidance, quality standards and advice being developed.
-
Proposed (4)
Technology appraisal guidance which has been proposed for development.
News and blogs
News on this topic
Antibiotics should not be used to treat the majority of sinus infections, NICE says
NICE is advising healthcare professionals to tell their patients that a sinus infection will likely clear-up without antibiotics and that there is little evidence oral decongestants will help to relieve their symptoms.
Most common ear infections should not be treated with antibiotics, says NICE
NICE is urging GPs to manage most common ear infections with pain relief rather than antibiotics.
Blog on this topic
The role of NICE guidance in fighting antibiotic resistance
Rosie explains how new NICE guidance will help us all in the fight against antibiotic resistance
Putting guidance into practice
Shared learning
Examples of how our guidance and standards have been put into practice in the NHS, local authorities, voluntary sector and a range of other organisations.
Showing 1 of 1 shared learning examples for this topic: