New analysis shows that antibiotics don't significantly reduce fluid buildup in young children with inner ear infections.
Whether antibiotics work for ear infections has been a matter of conjecture. But a meta-analysis of several previously published studies found that the results don't support the use of antibiotics for ear infection-associated fluid buildup.
According to lead researcher Maroeska M. Rovers, “Due to the marginal effect and the known negative effects of prescribing antibiotics ... we do not recommend prescribing antibiotics to prevent middle ear effusion.”