World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2018 takes place between November 12 to 18, 2018. During World Antibiotic Awareness Week, the United Nations World Health Organization and other health advocacy organizations will run public awareness campaigns educating the public of antibiotic resistance (AMR) and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.
According to the World Health Organization, antibiotics have served as the cornerstone of modern medicine since their discovery. The persistent overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human and animal health have encouraged the emergence and spread of AMR, which occurs when microbes, such as bacteria, become resistant to the drugs used to treat them.
Think twice, seek advice: Antibiotics aren't always the answer. Always seek the advice of a pharmacist before taking antibiotics.
Resources for Pharmacists and the public
- The World Health Organization has put together marketing graphics for healthcare professionals and the public to share the message.
- The Public Health Agency of Canada provides resources to help prevent antibiotic resistance by learning about its causes, impact and which bacteria and illnesses are antibiotic-resistant. Resources can be accessed here.
- The BCCDC's Community Antimicrobial Stewardship program recently created a two-pager fact sheet for the public which outlines the issue of antibiotic resistance, what the program is doing to combat the problem and what individuals can do to help. The fact sheet can be downloaded here.
- The BC Pharmacy Association featured a column in "The Tablet" titled "The 'poop' on treating C. difficile," where pharmacists Jason Min and Larry Leung discuss treatment methods for C. difficile.