‘If present trends continue, antibiotic failure will claim 10 million lives per year by 2050, the report concludes. That’s more carnage than what’s currently caused by cancer and traffic accidents combined. The economic toll will also be mind-boggling. By 2050, the report estimates, antibiotic resistance will be incurring $8 trillion in annual expenses globally. That’s equal to nearly half of the total output of the US economy in 2014—an enormous hemorrhaging of global resources.’

Meanwhile, there is woefully inadequate political and financial support for the action plan recommended by WHO. One of the most urgent and most achievable actions is to ensure access to reliable, unbiased information. As WHO has proclaimed: “Appropriate use of antibiotics is only possible if healthcare workers and the public have access to reliable, unbiased information on medicines. Universal access to reliable information on medicines is readily achievable and should be a cornerstone of efforts to promote rational prescribing. There is an urgent need for concerted action.”

http://www.who.int/rhem/didyouknow/essential_medicines/rational_antibiotic_use/en/

HIFA has a dedicated Working Group looking at this issue:

http://www.hifa2015.org/prescribers-and-users-of-medicines/

—

I invite you to look at this 2-minute video: Will you be an Antibiotic Guardian?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN5ultN7JaM

The video talks about the growing global threat of antimicrobial resistance and the three steps that every global citizen needs to take to prevent it:

1. Don’t demand antibiotics

2. Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed. Never save them for later. Never give them to anyone else.

3. Spread the word – tell your friends and family to use antibiotics properly.

The video is part of a campaign by Public Health England, described here:

Antibiotic Resistance: why the fuss and what simple actions can everyone take?

http://longitudeprize.org/blog-post/antibiotic-resistance-why-fuss-and-what-simple-actions-can-everyone-take

In my view, this needs to be a global message, promoted by the World Health Organization, International Network for the Rational Use of Drugs, HIFA and others. WHO has a multifaceted policy to prevent antimicropial resistance, which includes access to reliable information on medicines, but this policy is not adequately supported nor implemented. http://www.who.int/world-health-day/2011/policybriefs/en/

One of the easy wins – and especially relevant to HIFA – is that every prescriber and every user of medicines should have easy access to the information and knowledge they need to use antibiotics effectively (including the very basic information given in the above video). It is shocking but true that most prescribers do not have access to reliable information, even those who have internet access. For example, UK prescribers get reliable, independent information free (British National Formulary), but such information is currently behind a pay-wall and/or is unaffordable and/or is difficult to use for the vast majority of prescribers worldwide. Mamy, many prescribers worldwide rely on drug promotion literature – whose sole aim is to encourage more use of their antibiotic!

HIFA has a working group on Information for Prescribers and Users of Medicines and we would welcome new members to work with us towards the goal of Information on Medicines For All. You can read more here: http://www.hifa2015.org/prescribers-and-users-of-medicines/?

Best wishes,

Neil

Let’s build a future where people are no longer dying for lack of healthcare knowledge – Join HIFA: www.hifa2015.org  

………

Below are extracts from a news item on the Reuters website. Rational use of antibiotics, supported by universal access to reliable information for prescribers and users, is one of several priorities identified by WHO to help prevent the emergence of superbugs.

‘LONDON, Dec 11 (Reuters) – Drug-resistant superbugs could kill an extra 10 million people a year and cost up to $100 trillion by 2050 if their rampant global spread is not halted, according to a British government-commissioned review.

‘Such infections already kill hundreds of thousands of people a year and the trend is growing, the review said, adding: “The importance of effective antimicrobial drugs cannot be overplayed.”…

‘The World Health Organization has warned that a post-antibiotic era, where basic healthcare becomes far more dangerous due to risk of infection during routine operations, could arrive this century unless something drastic is done…’

Let’s build a future where people are no longer dying for lack of healthcare knowledge – Join HIFA: www.hifa2015.org