Last year, I made a comment on an article that was featured in the April-June issue of Health.Care magazine. Surprisingly, my comment was published in the "letters to the editor" section of that magazine sometime in July 2006.

Here is what I wrote to the editor:

I just would like to comment on the article "Unibranded medicines: Affordable Treatment for Better Health" which appeared on the April-June 2005 issue of the Health.Care (vol.3, no.2, p. 50).

It is true that "a lot of patients are not aware...that failure to complete their antibiotic treatment may contribute to bacterial resistance". However, patients' awareness to the proper use of antibiotics should be provided by health professionals as part of the entire health care plan (e.g., during consult with a medical doctor, at the time the antibiotic is dispensed by a pharmacist and when a nurse administers the drug).

A patient who is not properly informed about his or [her] medications reflects a discrepancy in the quality of health care provided by health professionals.

It has been said that improper antibiotic use is prevalent in the Philippines and "is a result of misconceptions, financial constraints, prescription recycling and widespread self-medication." (1)

As a pharmacist, my concern regarding the inappropriate use of antibiotics is about "the practice by pharmacists and drug sellers of conducting transactions without a prescription [that] unfortunately reinforces the behavior". (1)

I really feel that we "strictly implement the Pharmacy law" and "restrict over-the-counter availability of antimicrobials". (2)

A patient who has no access to antimicrobials (or any other prescription drugs) over the counter has a lesser chance to self-medicate. There will be no prescription recycling if pharmacists retain prescriptions that are fully filled.

This should be the pharmacist's contribution to affordable treatment to better health.

_____________________

References:

1. "Improper antibiotic use prevalent in Philippines." Philippine Daily

Inquirer 9 Jan. 1999, Sec D:3.

2. Carlos, Celia C. "The problem of antimicrobial resistance:RDU Update vol.4 No. 3 1995:1-4.