Antibiotics Smart Use: a workable model for promoting the rational use of medicines in Thailand

Awareness of Rational Medication Use and Antibiotic Self- Medication Practices among Undergraduate Students in a University in Sri Lanka

“…A study from Thailand revealed a successful model to reduce irrational antibiotic consumption which was a multidisciplinary approach for the issue of antibiotic resistance development due to irrational use [26]. It is worth to consider adopting the same model to Sri Lanka where unnecessary antibiotic consumption is observed for common cold and fever.…”

Antibiotic resistance—the need for global solutions

“…90 These barriers to compliance should be removed or minimised, and options for alternative actions for guideline compliance should be simultaneously provided. 91 Examples of options for nonantibiotic treatment in viral or self-limiting infections are the prescription of herbal medicines, as opposed to antibiotics, 92 and use of a delayed prescription technique with explicit instructions for patients about when to use antibiotics. 93 To encourage guideline compliance, consequences of irrational use of antibiotics should be reframed to be relevant to the self-interest of prescribers and institutions.…”

The global response to the threat of antimicrobial resistance and the important role of vaccines

“…Recent studies from Eastern Europe have identified the inappropriate use of antibiotics for viral infections of the respiratory tract and sub-therapeutic dosing as common in both hospital and ambulatory settings (in one published report correct dosing was reported in 38% of outpatient and 74% of medical charts of children with respiratory infections in hospital that were reviewed) [34,35] In Thailand, unnecessary use of antibiotics is seen among both health professionals and the public [36][37][38] One study in a tertiary care hospital revealed that only 7.9% of the upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) in the facility were caused by bacteria [39,40] Despite this, in Thailand most URIs are treated with antibiotics by hospitals, health centers, drug stores and patients themselves [41][42][43][44][45]. Liberal use of antibiotics endangers the health of patients without observable clinical benefits, since it neither reduces the rate of complications nor quickens recovery when the illness is caused by a virus [46,47]. Finally, the full extent of the wide usage of antibiotics in agriculture is unknown due to a lack of surveillance, and antibiotics that are vital for human health are not restricted from usage in animals.…”

“…Other examples at the country level of important stewardship programmes that have been launched in developed countries include "Strama" in Sweden [53]; the Get Smart: know when antibiotics work programme of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [54], and several national public campaigns in Europe [55,56]. In the context of country settings of more limited resources, the Antibiotics Smart Use (ASU) program was introduced in Thailand in 2007 as an innovative model to promote the rational use of medicines and counteract antimicrobial resistance building on interventions undertaken prior to 2007 that had only been partially successful and it is showing great promise [57].…”