text: Protocol for the RAPID-TEST Randomised Controlled Trial
  In primary care, antibiotics are often prescribed for respiratory infections without clear benefit, leading to microbial resistance. Point-of-care-tests can provide rapid microbiological results, potentially improving antibiotic use and patient outcomes. However, their impact in primary care is not well understood.
  This trial involves multiple primary care centers and randomized controlled testing. Patients aged 12 and over with suspected respiratory infections are asked to provide nose and throat swab samples. They are then randomly assigned to receive a rapid microbiological point-of-care-test or no test. Clinicians use the test results to guide antibiotic treatment decisions for intervention group patients, while control group patients receive usual care. The study aims to recruit 514 patients to detect a 15% reduction in antibiotic prescribing with 90% power and 5% significance.
  This trial will provide evidence on the efficacy and acceptability of rapid microbiological point-of-care tests in reducing antibiotic prescribing and improving patient symptoms in primary care.
  Registered under ISRCTN16039192 on 08/11/2022
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