C-reactive protein point of care testing in community pharmacy: Observational study of a Northern Ireland pilot.

Background: Whether or not to prescribe an antibiotic is a key issue for clinicians treating respiratory tract infection (RTI) in the community. Measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) in community pharmacy may help to differentiate viral and self-limiting infections from more serious bacterial infections.

Objective: To pilot POC CRP testing for suspected RTI within community pharmacy in Northern Ireland (NI).