Antibiotics - Doctor's Notes (2/2)

How did we get here?

It's hard to point fingers at one direction, there are many factors in play. Such as:

• Over advertising. The effectiveness of antibiotics were actually miraculous, but the pharm companies wanted to bank off if it and put so much advertising into it that people started overstating it's effects which led to over use.

• Overuse. Since in most countries antibiotics are often over the counter drugs they are easily accessible - that with the fact that people over assume antibiotics use cases adds to the unnecessary use.

• Demand. Demanding antibiotics from healthcare workers or pharmacies.

• Not following prescriptions. Antibiotics have to be consumed in a specific order and following a strict regimen. Not following prescription or taking antibiotics in the wrong way as per described by healthworkers.

• Oversharing. Sharing antibiotics with friends and family without professional advice just because it did miracles for you.

• Not using alternatives. The dependancy on antibiotics has given rise to depeleted use of alternatives preventive medicine or treatment therapies.

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How do we stop this?

Prevention is better than cure. It is important to prevent further spill. In short, by doing the opposite of what is mentioned above.

• Education. Not only is it important to learn about antibiotics and their limits, it is also important to learn the adverse effects and threat antibiotics have imposed. Making information available on the impact of antibiotic & resistance.

• Appropriate use. Using antibiotics only and when necessary. Sticking to alternative methods and deciding if antibiotics are the only appropriate choice and then prescribing or taking them.

• Strict regimen. It is important to stick to the recommended dosages, times and days given by your healthcare worker and not trying to reinvent the wheel or modify it in any way. Just because you feel better doesn't mean you can stop and just because you are still sick doesn't mean you should take more.

• Control. Over distribution, prescription and usage.

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The WHO has also taken a stern step towards making sure that antibiotics stick to curing and do not move on to killong by delegating and creating many programs.
However, unless we all learn and start taking steps by ourselves we won't see any results.
It is evident that there are shortcoming from all sides - pharmacies, healthcare workers and patients.
Personally, I believe that education is the biggest and most effective way of controlling the spill.