US Health Professionals give strong message to fast food chains to stay clear of Antibiotics

Contributed by Siddarth David & Dr. Tamhankar

In order to address the problem of indiscriminate use of antibiotics in animal produce used in fast-food chains, doctors sign a letter to the popular chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), to commit to sourcing only from farms that use antibiotics for treatment purposes. The doctors in the state of Kentucky which bears the name of global chain, have written the letter to the KFC, urging them to be strict about the farms they get their produce.

One of the signatories Dr. Anne Wallis said that  irresponsible antibiotic use promotes the evolution of disease-resistant bacteria in the food supply and as citizens one has the right to ensure that the food consumed comes from producers who restrain their antibiotic use. Another signatory Dr. Lisbeth Fowler pointed out that restaurants can play an important role in protecting the efficacy of antibiotics by serving produce that complies with judicious use of antibiotics.

This is a very positive step by concerned healthcare providers in the attempt to reduce antibiotic resistance, to go beyond the clinical settings and look at the environmental factors which contribute to the issue. Such advocacy is critical to ensure that all aspects of this multi-pronged problem are dealt with. Doctors using their position and voice to push for public health change is a powerful tool. It is an example for clinicians elsewhere, including in India to raise their voice on important health issues including antibiotic resistance.

Patients want Evidence-based information on antibiotic resistance: UK Study

Contribute by Siddarth David & Dr. Tamhankar

Knowledge is tool to empower patients on antibiotic resistance, is what findings from research published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research has pointed out. Researchers from the National Institute for Health Research and Imperial College London studied the use of different antimicrobial information resources with a focus on electronic platforms by patients as well as whether there is demand for an evidence-based information on electronic media like apps by patients on infections and antibiotic prescribing.

The findings show that a majority of respondents who took part in the  study wanted to have specific etiological and infection management advice and all required antibiotic-related information. It also showed that they preferred the use of electronic resources of information, including apps. Additionally, the study concluded that there is a need for health care professionals to engage with patients and help address common misconceptions around the generation of antimicrobial resistance.

This is another boost to advocate for building awareness among the people on the perils of antibiotic abuse and resistance. Initiatives to provide information and make it  a topic of public discourse is vital to ensure that patients a key link in the process of tackling antibiotic resistance are updated and equipped with the knowledge. This should be made part of the policy to look antibiotic resistance as a critical public health concern in India, to endure people's participation in this process. 

Research to try and understand the role between pollution and antibiotic resistance

Contributed by Siddarth David & Dr. Tamhankar

Researchers from the University of the West of Scotland and University of Strathclyde in Scotland are planning to study if pollution can create an enabling environment for antibiotic resistance. They plan to quantify the role discarded heavy metals and waste play in harbouring dangerous infections such as MRSA and C-Difficile.

Fiona Henriquez, leader of the research group pointed out that antibiotic resistant bacteria don’t just develop as a result of prescribing antibiotics and that there are a whole host of environmental factors that contribute. The team hypothesizes that since pollutants create a harsher environment in which to thrive,  bacteria have to evolve themselves to survive in the process of building resistance to pollutants they may build resistance to antibiotics as well. 

The study focuses on looking at wider environmental factors that could enhance the effect of antibiotic resistance. Such a holistic view will help in enabling better mechanisms to tackle this global public health threat.

Government of India aims to fund for more drug research to combat antibiotic resistance

Contributed by Siddarth David & Dr. Tamhankar

Given the need to urgently address the problem of drug resistance the government of India is planning to develop more research in drugs and vaccines in the coming months. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has planned several programs and global partnerships to give a thrust to this area. Investment in specific research for a few thousand crores can expected in the coming months, said the Secretary of DBT K Raghavan.

Antibiotic resistance is  a critical public health concern in India that requires interventions at multiple levels. This is a positive step by the government to ensure that technological advances, partnerships and strong research can highlight the issues and solutions to the problem in the Indian context. This can be used as a tool to push for policy changes to ensure measures to control the challenge of antibiotic resistance.

Swacch Bharat Abhiyan commended for indirectly helping in reducing antibiotic resistance

Contributed by Siddarth D and Dr. Tamhankar

 

UK Government commissioned Review on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust has identified India's Swacch Bharat Abhiyan as important step in reducing antibiotic resistance. 

The report has highlighted the interrelation between sanitation, diarrhoeal disease and use of antibiotics across middle-income countries and stated that reducing overall infections can reduce the use of medications especially antibiotics. Therefore, the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan which aims to improve sanitation and hygiene can reduce infectious diseases and hence use of antibiotics. 

The AMR has often highlighted that simple measures like hand washing among physicians, maintaining hygiene can go a long way in the battle against antibiotic resistance along with regulation of prescribing and consumption of these drugs can. It has emphasised that broad range of interventions, encompassing both the simple and inexpensive, and larger-scale more complex actions are critical to address this public health concern.

India bans more than 300 drug formulations that have no scientific justification for use

Contributed by Siddarth David and Dr. Tamhankar

The Indian government this week banned for over 300 drug formulations due to lack of therapeutic justification. Despite pleas over losses by pharmaceutical companies the government has been firm over these bans arguing the move is aimed at saving over 2 million lives vulnerable to drug resistance in upcoming decades. The government said that it had deliberated on the issue for a long time and followed a systematic process for more than four years where companies were given adequate time to present their scientific data on the effectiveness of the banned drugs. 

Health activists have welcomed the move as in the absence of an effective pharmaco-vigilance mechanism to track adverse effects of a drug after it is marketed, the government or drug regulators often fail to track the efficacy and safety of a medicine. Moreover, a highly fragmented pharmaceutical market makes it even more difficult for the regulator to keep a check on many irrational combinations.

This would be a boost for the antibiotic resistance efforts in India as improved antibiotic protocols and better stewardship could be more effectively achieved with these regulations in place. It is also a call to have stricter laws on introduction of drugs in India with intense scrutiny and adequate scientific evidence.