The discovery of antibiotics nearly a century ago profoundly changed our ability to cure and control illnesses, battle germs, improve treatment regimens and dramatically increase public health and care. The drugs simply have been akin to a miracle development in saving lives. Sadly, however, we all now have become too reliant on a whole range of antibiotics — so much so that the World Health Organisation estimates that between 50 and 80 per cent of germs have now developed a resistance to antibiotics. The organisation also believes now that some 700,000 deaths worldwide are attributable to antibiotic-resistant germs.
While pharmaceutical companies and medical researchers are striving to develop new strains of antibiotics, their development, trials and introduction does take time, and the race is on to bring new drugs to use before the effectiveness of our current classes of antibiotics becomes fully evident. The reality is that we are in this current health-care conundrum because of over-prescription and over-use of antibiotics.
The Health Ministry in the UAE is taking every measure to ensure that we are best protected and that current antibiotics remain effective. A new law will make it illegal for anyone to purchase or sell antibiotics over the counter in pharmacies, ensuring that the class of drugs will only be prescribed and recommended for use by health-care professionals and doctors.
Simply put, too many people for too long have bought too many antibiotics over the counter, and by misusing the drugs they have contributed to their collective ineffectiveness.
This move for new law is a welcome measure and is timely. But each of us who are prescribed antibiotics must now ensure that we follow the directions to the letter, and it’s in everyone’s best health interests.
While pharmaceutical companies and medical researchers are striving to develop new strains of antibiotics, their development, trials and introduction does take time, and the race is on to bring new drugs to use before the effectiveness of our current classes of antibiotics becomes fully evident. The reality is that we are in this current health-care conundrum because of over-prescription and over-use of antibiotics.
The Health Ministry in the UAE is taking every measure to ensure that we are best protected and that current antibiotics remain effective. A new law will make it illegal for anyone to purchase or sell antibiotics over the counter in pharmacies, ensuring that the class of drugs will only be prescribed and recommended for use by health-care professionals and doctors.
Simply put, too many people for too long have bought too many antibiotics over the counter, and by misusing the drugs they have contributed to their collective ineffectiveness.
This move for new law is a welcome measure and is timely. But each of us who are prescribed antibiotics must now ensure that we follow the directions to the letter, and it’s in everyone’s best health interests.
By Tariq A. Al Maeena
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