In the BBC News article “Most countries not protecting antibiotics, says WHO”, the reading says that most countries are facing with drug resistant problem especially in post-antibiotic era because almost no any antimicrobial medicines can kill bacteria. In addition, the problem is becoming one of the biggest problem in the future.
I am interested in this article because of my direct experience. When I read the article, I found out that the problem has been worried for many years. I had studied bacteria and virus growth cycle which can divide itself quickly and spread into the air to attach other people fast such as Ebola virus, cancer cell. On the other hand, a new drug takes a lot of time, more than 10 years, for research and development. I had studied that starts from formulations, testing on animal and human, regulation, and so on. Therefore, it is quite difficult to develop drugs while infection is increasing and we cannot definitely stop the growth of infections.
Moreover, I think one of the causes is misunderstanding of people. Most people believe that antimicrobial drugs can cure some disease but in fact, it is not efficiency; besides, it leads to unnecessary drug using and increases chance of infections to resist to the drugs. For example, when I am pharmacist at Boots, most people prefer to buy antibiotics like amoxicillin when they have sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, and fever. In this case, I know that it does not result from bacterial because the symptom of bacteria infection and virus infection is quite different; consequently, the antibiotic medicine is unnecessary and not the way of solving. The best way to cure it is to take a rest and take varies of nutrient food.
Now I notice that our world is facing post-antibiotic era in which everyone including me is worrying about it; nevertheless I hope that we will able to discover new drugs to kill new infections soon. How's the future if no any antibiotic drugs cure effectively diseases?
Reference
Gallagher, J. (2015, April 29). Most countries not protecting antibiotics, says WHO. BBC News Health. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/health-32515967
In my opinion, First thing everyone should know is that antibiotic drug does not same with anti-inflammation drug. This may make them notice that every time they have sore throat, antibiotic does not always useful.
ReplyDeleteI am quite sure that we will face with several new infection in the future because every organism have evolution. That's why researcher have done hard work.
I couldn't agree more with you that most people especially in our country still misunderstand the concept and it's hard to solve their thought.
DeleteDo you think that doctors might be part of the problem?
DeleteWhen I visit them at Bangkok Christian Hospital, they often prescribe too many drugs - usually sedatives and pain relievers that I don't like to use, so I have to tell them to change their prescription, although if I'm feeling lazy I just let the insurance company pay and then throw the drugs away.
I don't think that they over prescribe antibiotics in the same way, but I wonder if they take the time to explain to patients the importance of taking a full course of antibiotics and not stopping when the symptoms have disappeared?
Yes, I think that the doctor is also a cause of problem. As for my experience, I work at hospital and I see a lot of problem that I can't solve it. For example, the doctor prescribe more than one antibiotic drug to cure patients who suffer from upper-respiratory disease. Sometime I think that some patients receive unnecessary drugs. At the first time, the drug may be good because the drugs cover all group of bacteria; positive and negative strain; however, not only does bad effects come to the patients but it also affects on other people and other diseases. That is people have to use more strength drug and waste more money to cure the disease.
DeleteThe problems should be recognized and solved by authorities, paramedics and doctors.
I also think that a doctor might be a part of the problem with the same reason as Gift and Peter. However, I just wonder that pharmacist might be also a large part of this problem because most people, especially in Thailand, are likely to see pharmacist instead of doctor when they feel sick. Therefore, pharmacist should explain more detail of indication of antibiotic and the cause of some symptom such as sore throat. Nevertheless, it is an ideal. I've already try to explain my patients but they don't listen to me because they believe their own opinion. If the doctor say, they may be pay more attention, I guess.
DeleteSounds interesting topics!
ReplyDeleteNowadays, people get sick easily and new diseases also come out everyday, It's quite hard to avoid or heal it directly.
When Thai people get sick, they can go to a drugstore and they easily buy drugs without prescriptions from the doctor. Moreover, some of drugstores do not have real pharmacists to advise.
This is why bacteria increases chance of infections to resist to the drugs.
It sounds bad for me because I am a pharmacist and my career is facing no pharmacist in some drugstores. I think that it's a major problem because if anyone can sell drugs without consulting, the worst result will occur to patients. In addition, I think our country buy drugs too easy compared to other countries like USA, Singapore, Australia. My friend of the countries told me that they cannot buy any antibiotic or dangerous drugs without prescription. Therefore, one of the solutions is to change of the public health law to be more limited and reduce using unnecessary drugs.
DeleteThis means that we, human, can't catch up with the speed of virus's evolution. By the time we come up with a new medicine, virus might already mutate to a stronger one that the new medicine can't even suppress it. I think that the key to this problem is a good hygiene, especially preventive methods to contain widespread infection.
ReplyDeleteNow scientists still find some ways to overcome virus; however, it's difficult to success. For new ways of medicine, it concentrates more on biological product that specific to human body and kill the infections. However, the best ways to cure the virus infection is good hygiene as you said.
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