Pharmacist on Board

August 8, 2017

It was the upsurge of Typhoon Gorio when I was coming home from Espaῆa on a late Wednesday afternoon. I was sitting next the FX driver, and amid the angry splash of raindrops upon the wind shield and the heavy smog upon the window on my side, I could still hear the conversation of two fellow female passengers behind me. At first, I didn’t mind whatever it was they were discussing but once they talked of the one thing that bothered most of pharmacists like me, I couldn’t help but already get vigilant. The younger female was sniffing as she wiped her red nose with a towel and the other vigorously sharing that she would take Amoxicillin upon arriving home to prevent herself from getting common cold, as well.

The antibacterial drug, Amoxicillin, that she mentioned got my ears open wide but the viral disease, common cold, that she also mentioned got my ears open even wider. It’s not a habit of mine to intrude on other people’s conversation, especially on complete strangers, but I could not help but intervene, introduce myself, and correct them about something that is exceptionally alarming in my field: self-medication, especially with antibiotics.

In our communities, there has been a wrong practice where a lot of people think that antibiotics, which are supposedly used against bacteria, can be used for viral infections like colds or flu. This is wrong. Bacteria are completely different from viruses, thus the antibacterial drug Amoxicillin must not be used for viral infections like common cold. Aside from not being cured because of mismatch, this can also lead to antibiotic resistance, a phenomenon which has been an alarming public health concern across the globe.

Antibiotic resistance is the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics that are used to treat the infections they cause. This phenomenon is aggravated largely through the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, both in humans and animals. And if left unsolved, the world could reach a post-antibiotic era, where ordinary infections and minor injuries, which have been non-threatening for years, can become fatal again. This phenomenon can also increase health care cost and could endanger the economy.

I discussed this matter slowly to the two females behind me making sure that I avoided the medical terms that are difficult to undertand. But I was surprised to see that the other passengers in the FX were also listening to me and I got more energized when the FX driver said, “Ganun’ pala ‘yun! Akala ko nga vitamins lang ang Amoxicillin eh!” He accompanied it with a laugh.

With another wrong notion from a layperson, I then continued explaining and took the opportunity to expand my topic. “Kuya, hindi po vitamins ang Amoxicillin. Para po siya sa bacterial infections at hindi siya pwedeng inumin kung kelan mo lang gusto. Hindi siya pwede for self-medication.” I also accompanied it with a laugh and explained further that antibiotics actually require medical consultation and diagnosis, and that they should not be bought in drugstores over the counter, without prescription from a licensed physician.

“Eh! Miss, bakit sa mga botika bigay lang sila ng bigay ng Amoxicillin?” One male passenger from the back asked, shouting a bit probably to make sure that I could hear him. He was probably in his early thirty’s judging from his looks and manner of speaking.

I nodded, sighing. It’s not the public’s fault this time, but pharmacists’ fault like me. I must admit that this malpractice has been lingering for decades. It really was common where antibiotics were sold without prescription and without counseling or advice from the pharmacist like on how to take the drug, or when to take it, or how long will the drug be taken.

So I simply replied to my fellow passenger who just asked the question, “Meron naman ng actions coming from Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and reminders from the Philippine Pharmacists Association (PPhA) sa mga pharmacists and drugstore owners. There are improvements naman na.”

“Eh di sana nga, may mangyari talaga,” said another random passenger.

“Yeah, I am seeing results naman na po. Of course, things don’t just miraculously happen in an instant. They happen over time. Besides, change can also start with you po. When you come home later, start telling your family po not to self-medicate, especially with antibiotics. Then to your neighbors and workmates, hanggang sa kung sino pa man makausap niyo about this topic,” I said with brimming confidence. (Until now, I still don’t know where that confidence came from.) Then we parted ways when we finally reached the terminal.

It was not a stressful rainy day, after all. In fact, a productive and mind-changing one. And I think I should thank Typhoon Gorio for that.

The general public plays a very crucial role in fighting antibiotic resistance. We should know that it is wrong to self-medicate. When prescribed with antibiotic medication, it is important to take the appropriate antibiotic dosage and complete the course of therapy even though we already feel better. It is also important not to share antibiotics with others or use any left-over antibiotics because they may not be the correct antibiotic and would not lead to a full period of treatment. Keeping vaccination up to date must also be taken into consideration because some recommended vaccines protect against bacterial infections, such as diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough). Regular washing of hands and maintaining healthy lifestyle matter, as well.

It is critically important that everyone of us must cooperate. We are all in this together. We have to act now before the treatment of all types of infection is… nothing!

Teresa May B. Bandiola, 27, is a pharmacist. She is presently taking her break from teaching and is pursuing her thesis on dengue disease.