\nA quiet moment as a patient realizes the risks of self-medicating with antibiotics. <\/p>\n
When I recently returned to the clinic after a few weeks abroad, one of my patients came in for a follow-up, looking unusually pleased with himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoc,\u201d he began proudly, \u201cnagka-fever ako habang wala kayo. Parang flu. Uminom lang ako ng antibiotics na natira sa bahay. After a few days, okay na. (I had a fever, flu-like. I just took some leftover antibiotics\u2026 I got well.)\u201d<\/p>\n
He paused\u2014clearly expecting congratulations. Instead, I shook my head.<\/p>\n
What he thought was initiative\u2026 was actually part of a global problem quietly becoming one of the biggest threats to modern medicine: antimicrobial resistance.<\/p>\n
\nA quiet moment as a patient realizes the risks of self-medicating with antibiotics.
<\/p>\n
When \u2018diskarte\u2019 becomes dangerous<\/p>\n
Filipinos are resourceful. We pride ourselves on diskarte\u2014the ability to solve problems creatively, often with what is readily available.<\/p>\n
Leftover antibiotics from a previous illness? \u201cSayang naman. Gamitin na lang ulit. (It\u2019s a waste; better to use them.)\u201d<\/p>\n
Pharmacies dispensing antibiotics without a prescription? \u201cMabilis lang \u2019to. Alam ko na \u2019to. (It works fast; I already know this.)\u201d<\/p>\n
\nLeftover antibiotics\u2014often seen as practical solutions, but a hidden contributor to a growing global crisis.
<\/p>\n
A neighbor recommending a specific capsule because \u201cgumaling ako dito\u201d? \u201cI\u2019ll try that, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
It sounds practical. It feels efficient. But in medicine, what seems helpful in the short term can be disastrous in the long term.<\/p>\n
What is antimicrobial resistance?<\/p>\n
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites evolve to survive medications designed to kill them.<\/p>\n
In simple terms: the germs learn\u2014and they learn fast.<\/p>\n
Each time antibiotics are used improperly\u2014wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong duration\u2014some microbes survive. These survivors become stronger, more resistant, and eventually dominate.<\/p>\n
The result? Infections that were once easily treatable become harder, more expensive, and sometimes impossible to cure.<\/p>\n
The culture and sensitivity dilemma
\n
\nIn the lab, bacteria are tested against antibiotics\u2014sometimes with few or no effective options remaining.
<\/p>\n
In hospital practice, we often request a culture and sensitivity test\u2014a laboratory procedure that identifies the bacteria causing an infection and determines which antibiotics can kill it.<\/p>\n
Increasingly, we encounter a troubling scenario. The report returns with a list of antibiotics\u2026 and beside each one is the same word: \u201cResistant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sometimes, only one or two drugs remain effective. Sometimes, none.<\/p>\n
Imagine standing in front of a patient, knowing the infection is treatable in theory\u2014but the available weapons no longer work.<\/p>\n
\nWhen antibiotics fail, treatment becomes more complex, costly, and risky.
<\/p>\n
This is not science fiction. This is happening now.<\/p>\n
Real stories from the frontlines<\/p>\n
A middle-aged patient with a urinary tract infection had been self-medicating with various antibiotics for several months\u2014some prescribed, others not. By the time she sought proper care, the bacteria had become resistant to multiple drugs. Treatment required hospital admission and intravenous antibiotics, at high cost and risk.<\/p>\n
Another patient with pneumonia had taken an incomplete course of antibiotics: \u201cI stopped when my symptoms improved.\u201d When the infection returned, it was far more aggressive\u2014and far more difficult to treat.<\/p>\n
We are, quite literally, training bacteria to defeat us.<\/p>\n
Why antibiotics are different<\/p>\n
Unlike pain relievers or vitamins, antibiotics are not general-purpose medicines. They are precision weapons designed to target specific bacteria.<\/p>\n
Using them incorrectly is like firing bullets blindly: You may not hit the target. You may hit the wrong one. And worse, you may create a stronger enemy.<\/p>\n
Even more concerning: Antibiotics do not work against viruses.<\/p>\n
That common \u201cflu-like illness\u201d my patient treated with antibiotics? Most likely viral.<\/p>\n
The fever improved not because of the antibiotic, but because the body\u2019s immune system did its job. The antibiotic simply\u2026 tagged along.<\/p>\n
The global threat<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization considers antimicrobial resistance one of the top global health threats of our time.<\/p>\n
Projections suggest that by 2050, AMR could cause millions of deaths annually, surpassing cancer.<\/p>\n
Simple procedures\u2014such as surgeries, childbirth, or chemotherapy\u2014could become riskier because infections can no longer be controlled.<\/p>\n
In a way, we risk returning to a pre-antibiotic era, when minor infections could be fatal.<\/p>\n
A little humor, a serious reality<\/p>\n
In the clinic, I sometimes joke with patients: \u201cHindi po vitamins ang antibiotics\u2014hindi puwedeng \u2018just in case.\u2019 (Antibiotics are not vitamins; you can\u2019t take them ‘just in case.’)\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It gets a laugh. But behind the humor is a serious truth: there is no such thing as \u201cjust in case\u201d when it comes to antibiotics. Every unnecessary dose carries a cost\u2014not just for the patient, but for society.<\/p>\n
\nPrevention starts with simple habits\u2014reducing infections means reducing the need for antibiotics.
<\/p>\n
A shared responsibility\u00a0<\/p>\n
Antimicrobial resistance is not caused by one patient, one doctor, or one system. It is the result of small decisions repeated millions of times.<\/p>\n
But the opposite is also true. Change can begin with one patient choosing not to self-medicate, one doctor prescribing responsibly, and one pharmacist refusing to dispense without a prescription.<\/p>\n
A final reflection<\/p>\n
That patient who proudly told me he had treated himself? He listened quietly as I explained the risks. His expression shifted\u2014from confidence to concern.<\/p>\n
Before leaving, he said, \u201cDoc, hindi ko na uulitin. (I won\u2019t do it again.)\u201d<\/p>\n
That is where hope lies\u2014not in advanced technology alone, but in awareness, discipline, and collective responsibility.<\/p>\n
Because the day antibiotics stop working will not arrive suddenly. It will come gradually\u2014one misuse at a time.<\/p>\n
And it can be prevented\u2014one informed decision at a time.<\/p>\n
Antibiotics: Do\u2019s and don\u2019ts\u00a0<\/p>\n
The fight against antimicrobial resistance is not confined to hospitals or laboratories. It begins in homes, pharmacies, and everyday decisions.<\/p>\n
Do:<\/p>\n
\nTake antibiotics only when prescribed.
\nFollow the exact dose and schedule.
\nComplete the full course.
\nKeep follow-up appointments.
<\/p>\n
Don’t:<\/p>\n
\nSelf-medicate with leftover antibiotics.
\nStop treatment once you feel better.
\nShare antibiotics with others.
\nUse antibiotics for colds or flu.
\nPressure your doctor to prescribe.
\nNot all infections need antibiotics.
<\/p>\n
Using them when unnecessary does more harm than good.<\/p>\n
Bottom line:<\/p>\n
Antibiotics are a precious resource. Use them wisely today\u2014so they will still work tomorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When I recently returned to the clinic after a few weeks abroad, one of my patients came in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":532207,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[830,96,102,655,6591,80940,10784,80939,80941,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-532206","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-celebrity","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-lifestyle","12":"tag-medication","13":"tag-philippine-star","14":"tag-philippines","15":"tag-philippines-news","16":"tag-philstar","17":"tag-uk","18":"tag-united-kingdom","19":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=532206"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532206\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/532207"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=532206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=532206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=532206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}