Taking Care of Our Most Precious Drugs

Send us Fan MailAntibiotics are lifesavers. These 20th-century drugs can save lives within hours, often given as just a handful of pills or an injection. But the germs they fight often fight back and evolve quickly. They develop what’s known as antimicrobial resistance, and then the drugs people use to treat infections become worthless. This happens naturally, but people and the way we behave often help it develop faster. When people use drugs when they don’t need them, or take the wrong drug, that allows bacteria, viruses, or fungi to evolve new tricks to evade the effects of medicines. These drug-resistant superbugs kill millions of people every year, and the problem is getting worse. The One Health Trust is working to educate medical professionals about better ways to conserve and care for these precious antibiotics. Policies and practices crafted to ensure that antibiotics, antivirals, and antifungal drugs continue to work are known as antimicrobial stewardship. Dr. Azra Hasan, the Head of Academic Programs at OHT, is leading the One Health Trust’s efforts to help physicians, pharmacists, and others learn ways to better preserve antimicrobial drugs. In this episode of One World, One Health, Azra explains first what the problem is, and what to do about it.