Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic Resistance - One of the biggest threats to our future good health

Antibiotics are no longer routinely used to treat infections because:

• many infections are caused by viruses, so antibiotics are not effective
• antibiotics are often unlikely to speed up the healing process and can cause side effects
• the more antibiotics are used to treat trivial conditions, the more likely they are to become ineffective for treating more serious conditions

Both the NHS and health organisations across the world are trying to reduce the use of antibiotics, especially for health problems that are not serious.

Why it is relevant to you

Without effective antibiotics many routine treatments will become increasingly dangerous. Setting broken bones, basic operations, even chemotherapy and animal health all rely on access to antibiotics that work.

What we want you to do

Watch this 2 minute video to learn what antibiotic resistance is and why we need to limit the use of unnecessary antibiotics now!

How you can help save these vital medicines from becoming obsolete!

• Don’t demand antibiotics. Ask a pharmacist how to treat your symptoms.
• Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed. Never save them for later, never give them to someone else.
• Spread the word.

Antibiotic Resistance - Q&A

BBC News - Fears grow over increased antibiotic resistance

BBC News - Antibiotic resistance rise continues

BBC News - Antibiotic resistance now 'global threat', WHO warns