ANTIBIOTICS - OUR FRIENDS OR ENEMY

Antibiotics are one of the most commonly used drugs prescribed all over the world. - Antibiotics are life saving medicines when used appropriately. - Inappropriate/overuse of antibiotics over several years have caused alarming rates of antibiotic resistant infections all over the world. - Infections which were easily treatable with oral antibiotics, now require hospitalization and IV antibiotics due to resistant strains of bacteria. - Studies have shown that more than 50% antibiotics are prescribed and used unnecessarily. - Fighting against antibiotic resistance is a mutual responsibility of doctors and patients.
 PLEASE REMEMBER: It is not the person who gets resistant to antibiotics, it is the bacterial which get resistant and can cause more serious infection to the same person or to anyone else.

 FOR PATIENTS:
1. Please don’t self medicate yourself especially with antibiotics.
 2. Do not take antibiotics unless you are instructed by your doctor.
 3. Never take antibiotics on advice from your friends or family members.
 4. Do not take antibiotics prescription from a doctor over the phone or over the internet, unless he/she has conducted proper tests or examined you in person.
5. Talk to your doctor about concerns of antibiotic resistance if antibiotics are prescribed.
6. Please remember, not all infections are bacterial and not all infections respond to antibiotics.
 7. Flu, common cold, allergies do not respond to antibiotics. Do not take antibiotics for these conditions.
 8. Not all fevers in kids require antibiotics - actually majority are viral infections which will not get better with antibiotics.
 9. Most of sore throats and sinus infections are viral and do not respond to antibiotics.
 10. When prescribed by your doctor, take antibiotics exactly as prescribed. Do not increase or decrease the duration/dose of antibiotics on your own.
 11. Always ask your doctors about appropriate vaccinations for yourself and your kids.

 FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS:
 1. Please educate your patients about proper use of antibiotics, duration and effects of antibiotic resistance.
 2. Think twice before prescribe antibiotics, is it really indicated or not.
 3. Please avoid and discourage prescribing antibiotics over the phone or internet without seeing and properly examining the patient.
4. Encourage your patients to take vaccinations to prevent infections.
 5. Educate your patients about preventive measure to stop spreading infections. It is as important as prescribing medicine for their infections.