Beware of the Superbugs
Despite numerous efforts in the past year at arming the public with the knowledge of what 'superbugs' are, several studies have shown that improper use of antibiotics remain prevalent. This much was revealed during the recently concluded 33rd Annual Convention of the Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID). The convention focused on the threat of infectious superbugs and how it can be stopped.
Dr. Solante went on citing the four common practices of antibiotic misuse in the country that promote the emergence of superbugs. These are self-medication, skipping a dose of antibiotic, stopping antibiotics use too early and using antibiotics like over-the-counter drugs.
"Unfortunately, some patients mistakenly believe that antibiotics are used to relieve symptoms like fever, body pain, coughs and colds," he laments while adding, "Such symptoms are usually caused by a viral infection and antibiotics should not be used to treat viral infections. Instead, viral infections are best cured by taking enough rest, drinking lots of fluids, taking vitamins and supplements, using lozenges and other remedies. These remedies plus the body's immune system are usually enough to fight off a viral infection."
Sadly, some patients still do not know the difference. Dr. Solante cited a medical study that found 66 percent of antibiotics sold in Manila were acquired without prescription. "These practices, when done often enough, lead to the emergence of superbugs. In the Philippines, two types of bacteria - one that causes gonorrhea and another that causes tuberculosis, are already antibiotic-resistant," Dr. Solante warns.
Help is at hand
In support of PSMID's current battle against the emergence of superbugs, Watsons has partnered with United Laboratories Inc. in launching their "Compliance Packs," an aid in proper antibiotics use. They've pre-packaged the most common doses prescribed by doctors and priced it lower than multinational brands.
"Antibiotics in pill form are stored individually in blister packs for a reason. The patient has to take them one by one, according to schedule. Other sellers package their antibiotics with a re-sealable pouch design where the pills are bunched together inside. This type of packaging for medicine is flawed, in our opinion. It's okay to package candy in this way but not antibiotics," says Belinda Pesayco, senior regulatory affairs manager of Watsons Personal Care Stores (Phils.), Inc.
Pesayco explains that a re-sealable packaging for medicines may be confusing to a patient since all the pills are in a common pile inside the container. It would be harder for the patient to keep track of how many pills he or she has taken.
She also pointed out another flaw with the re-sealable design: the patient would have to reach into the container with fingers, and pick out one pill from the other pills inside. This increases the chance of spillage, or worse, a patient might mistakenly pick out more than one pill and ingest these, resulting in overdose.
"Furthermore, if there happens to be moisture in the fingers, the quality of the pills inside might get compromised. After all, they are not individually separated. Ideally, all medicine should be kept dry to preserve their effectiveness," she adds.
Watsons also helps in the campaign by making sure its store pharmacists are well-trained and knowledgeable in the proper use of antibiotics. Their pharmacists may recommend over-the-counter medicine to relieve a patient's symptoms if there is no antibiotic prescription from a doctor.
Otherwise, the pharmacist may also suggest that a patient consult a doctor first before purchasing antibiotics. Watsons Compliance Packs are available in its 170 stores nationwide.
By ROWENA BAUTISTA-ALCARAZ
mb.com.ph
mb.com.ph
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