Widespread use of antibiotics in Thailand worries EU

[webfact]

Widespread use of antibiotics in Thailand worries EU

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The European Union has expressed concern over Thailand’s widespread use of antibiotics. 

 

At a recent international summit on the problem of antibiotic resistance, organized by EU representatives to Thailand, participants from several Asian countries took part to learn more about European antibiotic awareness and research, according to National  News Bureau of Thailand (NNT).

 

Food and Drug Administration specialist Nithima Sumpradit told the gathering that Thailand has found that around 30,000 die as a result of antibiotic resistance each year because of the improper use of this class of drug, NNT reported.

 

She said that the report stated that about 50% of those who use antibiotics have developed resistance to the drugs while many suffer complications in personal hygiene and controlling infections.

 

Ms. Nithima said that Thailand has accordingly been preparing a five-year strategy to address the issue in order to help lower the number of antibiotic resistance-related fatalities by 20 percent within the next five years.

 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/widespread-use-of-antibiotics-in-thailand-worries-eu/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-11-16

[AlphMichaels]

Blame the 30 baht clinics and a largely inept medical community outside the elite hospitals which nearly 90% of the indigenous population cannot afford to use.  Antibiotics should never be prescribed for anything other than bacterial infections.  I've seen them given for colds, influenza and other "viral" infections,  time and again.      

[yellowboat]

Stop handing them out like candy.  Colds and flues pass on their own in a few days.   Stop taking them.

[rkidlad]

Has anyone here ever met someone who went to hospital here and didn't return with a big bag of medicine?

 

Most people carry that hospital medicine bag so proudly. "I went to 'High-so Hospital' and I'm sick! Ask me about it"

 

Very worrying how easily people take antibiotics. Anytime I mention any form of illness to my missus she says "You should go to hospital". I always tell her I'm fine and will fight it naturally. I'm still alive and healthy. My missus is the most rational and sane Thai person I've met, but she still thinks I'm crazy for never going to hospital for a headache or sore throat, etc. "You have health insurance!"

[hansnl]

34 minutes ago, AlphMichaels said:

Blame the 30 baht clinics and a largely inept medical community outside the elite hospitals which nearly 90% of the indigenous population cannot afford to use.  Antibiotics should never be prescribed for anything other than bacterial infections.  I've seen them given for colds, influenza and other "viral" infections,  time and again.      

Good chance your doctor in the "elite" hospital is sidelining there.

The 30-baht "clinics" are not to blame, but the overpriced, overcharging, private businesses where money is the most important factor and not your health.

Side effect of the private business is the negative influence on the state hospitals and their patients.

[Gandtee]

Three weeks ago I had a tooth extracted at a hospital of renown and was given pain killer tablets of which I took one, and a ten day course of antibiotics?? Never before in my life have I been given antibiotics after a tooth extraction. Were they needed I wonder?

[SaintLouisBlues]

6 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

Three weeks ago I had a tooth extracted at a hospital of renown and was given pain killer tablets of which I took one, and a ten day course of antibiotics?? Never before in my life have I been given antibiotics after a tooth extraction. Were they needed I wonder?

Almost certainly not. The standard treatment after a tooth extraction is frequent mouthwashes with warm, salty water

[JAG]

13 minutes ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

Almost certainly not. The standard treatment after a tooth extraction is frequent mouthwashes with warm, salty water

 

Tell me, if he completed the course as prescribed, would it do any harm?

 

I rather understood that the problem arose when you abandoned taking them halfway through the course.

[SaintLouisBlues]

4 minutes ago, JAG said:

Tell me, if he completed the course as prescribed, would it do any harm?

Simply googling "unnecessary antibiotic prescription harm" will give you much more - and better - information than I could possibly convey

[realenglish1]

The Doctors are to blame My girlfriend gets the flue and they prescribe antibiotics REALLY 

Antibiotics do not work on Viruses 

[joeyg]

I posted about the problem with TV members "self prescribing" a couple of years ago and nearly got crucified.  Some where talking about taking antibiotics on their way home after vacation prophylactically.  Hell, what do I know?

[craigt3365]

My wife use to take penicillin when she had a sore throat.  Her mom does the same to this day.  My wife has now knows penicillin won't help with sore throats.  But the docs are still prescribing it...

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, yellowboat said:

Stop handing them out like candy.  Colds and flues pass on their own in a few days.   Stop taking them.

 

True. If I get a cold my wife immediately wants me to go off to a clinic for a few bags of pills. And that also highlights The Great Medical Con. We are given drugs, not just in Thailand, to help cure a cold or flu, even if it's just cough mixture or whatever. They say take this and you'll be fine in a few days. The con is that you'd be fine in a few days anyway as the body cures itself.

[IMA_FARANG]

The problem with the in-appropriate use of antibiotics is that the mon-rresistant bacteria are preferenialy killed where as the resistant bacteria are preferentialy survivors to an  in-appropriate course of antibiotics.

That means the weaker non-resistant strain of bacteria are killed off by the antibiotics and the more resistant strains are more likely to survive and therefore spread to other patients.

In this way in proper use of anyibiotics is eliminating the weak and helping the more resistant bacterial infections to survive.

Self defeating to the patients long term health and a growing problem in hospitals everywhere in the world.

 

 

[joeyg]

27 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

My wife use to take penicillin when she had a sore throat.  Her mom does the same to this day.  My wife has now knows penicillin won't help with sore throats.  But the docs are still prescribing it...

Unfortunately similar prescribing is going on in the US.  Maybe it's getting slightly better but not much.  I have lectured for 25 years about the "looming Crisis of Antibiotic Resistance."

 

Tragically it is as much a problem for one who has never taken an antibiotic as it is for who who takes them inappropriately/self prescribed.  Things are going to get ugly.  More people already dying from this scenario then HIV/AIDS.

[craigt3365]

3 minutes ago, joeyg said:

Unfortunately similar prescribing is going on in the US.  Maybe it's getting slightly better but not much.  I have lectured for 25 years about the "looming Crisis of Antibiotic Resistance."

 

Tragically it is as much a problem for one who has never taken an antibiotic as it is for who who takes them inappropriately/self prescribed.  Things are going to get ugly.  More people already dying from this scenario then HIV/AIDS.

I spent years in the US medical system dealing with my father's issues.  Antibiotics were very hard to get.  You really had to prove you needed them.  Even then, only a full course was given.  Nothing else.

[DrTuner]

It's quite easy. Raise the FDA rating to the level where antibiotics are only available from hospitals.

[joeyg]

Just now, craigt3365 said:

I spent years in the US medical system dealing with my father's issues.  Antibiotics were very hard to get.  You really had to prove you needed them.  Even then, only a full course was given.  Nothing else.

Yes there are responsible treatment venues.  University and Research Hospitals are your best bet.  Out in private practice it can be a real "crap shoot."

[joeyg]

2 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

It's quite easy. Raise the FDA rating to the level where antibiotics are only available from hospitals.

This has already been tried a few years back.  It got shot down.

 

[DrTuner]

1 minute ago, joeyg said:

This has already been tried a few years back.  It got shot down.

Maybe if some one took a youtube video of buying 100 slabs of 500mg amoxy from the nearest pharmacy there would be a reaction. Seems to be the only way to get anything done around here. Youtube democracy.

[joeyg]

Have a feeling that would not phase anyone.

 

[puipuitom]

I once spoke with a medical specialist and good friend of my business partner in THL "Thai see a doctor only being good when (s)he subscribes a lot of medicines. Amoung... anti-biotics".

So, a doctor who proves even your own body has the best healing power... is a waste of time and money, so do not visit that person again.

[Jonmarleesco]

The EU expresses concern. Better late comes to mind.

[Jonmarleesco]

1 hour ago, joeyg said:

Have a feeling that would not phase anyone.

 

Not being pedantic, I promise you, but in this context, you mean faze.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

I have to say that,although,i do not agree with the dispensing of Antibiotics by the  pharmacies here,freely and without proof of the reason for the need.In the early days of my living here,i had a nasty boil that for some reason would not heal fully.I tried salt water  wraps and all sorts of coverings,but to no avail.I am guilty in the fact that i went to my local pharmacy,who gave me two weeks of yellow and green Anti's.I took 4 a day and within three days the thing had dried up and disappeared. I finished the course and hey presto! no more boils.I never suffered with them at any time in my life,but this one was particularly nasty,with2 heads and continuous

weeping. I suffered it for 2 weeks before my visit.

PS. The pharmacist never told me to avoid alcohol for the duration,and i had a beer as usual,they still worked.

[Deepinthailand]

No wonder UK wants out of EU sticking there beaks In everything 

[fruitman]

2 hours ago, Deepinthailand said:

No wonder UK wants out of EU sticking there beaks In everything 

 

India was the  highest risk country to get infected with resistant darmbacterials. Plenty of Indians and Paki's live in the UK....and the Brits love to eat their curries....

 

From the tourists who had been to SE-Asia many got infected by those bacterials and even back in Europe 12.5% of the travellers infected their roommates/familymembers in whom the resistant bacterials were found.

 

 

[bangon04]

It is seldom that I use the sentence - this happens in other countries, not only in Thailand...

 

30 years ago in Taiwan, the doctors who practised "western" medicine felt then that their patients expected a bag full of M&Ms  colourful antibiotics to prove that the doctor was taking them seriously. Recently I have see plenty of evidence in China that M&Ms  antibiotics selection pack are an essential part of a visit to the doctor's surgery.

[DogNo1]

The real danger is in not taking a complete course of antibiotics so, if you self-medicate, read the enclosed pamphlet and take a full course for your disease.  For Amoxicillin it's 7-10 days.  Be aware that viral infections in the body sometimes trigger a simultaneous bacterial infection.  If your infection is not cured by a normal course of antibiotics, it's time to consult with a doctor.

 

It is possible to get a bacterial  infection from meat, fish or poultry since these animals, if farm raised, are often fed antibiotics every day to help them grow quicker.  Also, a recent article stated that a high percentage of Thai produce is contaminated with bacteria and/or pesticides.  This includes produce sold as "organic" in the high-end stores.  You can't wash all of the contamination from the food but you can at least kill the bacteria by thorough cooking.  Bon apetit!  Be careful of the cooked food in the big name stores that is not kept appropriately hot or cold after it is prepared..  I got a nasty case of food poisoning the other day from steamed squash that was sold from a room temperature shelf.   Be careful!

[joeyg]

6 hours ago, Khon Kaen Dave said:

I have to say that,although,i do not agree with the dispensing of Antibiotics by the  pharmacies here,freely and without proof of the reason for the need.In the early days of my living here,i had a nasty boil that for some reason would not heal fully.I tried salt water  wraps and all sorts of coverings,but to no avail.I am guilty in the fact that i went to my local pharmacy,who gave me two weeks of yellow and green Anti's.I took 4 a day and within three days the thing had dried up and disappeared. I finished the course and hey presto! no more boils.I never suffered with them at any time in my life,but this one was particularly nasty,with2 heads and continuous

weeping. I suffered it for 2 weeks before my visit.

PS. The pharmacist never told me to avoid alcohol for the duration,and i had a beer as usual,they still worked.

Yes sometimes the ball lands on your number in roulette too.