Le: The date is March 7th and I am speaking with Duc Nguyen Pharm D on the subject of antimicrobial resistance. ---- As a             pharmacist what is your role in public health.

 

Nguyen: Uhm. As a pharmacist one of the biggest things I can do in terms of public health is to educate, to console and to guide   the patient to taking their medication correctly. In particular the antibiotics because there is the potential that things could go wrong if it is not taken in a certain way or if the patient does not finish the medication. My role as a pharmacist is to educate, to guide and to console patients in taking medication correctly. 

 

Le: Do you fill a lot of antimicrobial prescriptions? Are they over prescribed?

 

Nguyen:  Absolutely. Yes we do a, uh, quite a few prescriptions of antibiotics throughout the day, and in particular during the flu and cold season. Uhm. And I absolutely feel that we, as health practitioners, in uh the medical field are over-prescribing  these types of medications because of a certain pressures from the patient. Uhm. You know, things like that make it very hard for myself in particular to try to educate patients when they're so demanding of the prescription. So, i absolutely agree that antimicrobial prescriptions are being over prescribed by physicians due to patients and their demand, wanting these prescription and we would have to fill these prescription for them. 

 

Le: In your opinion, do you believe that we are nearing  a post-antibiotic era? 

 

Nguyen: Uhm. I believe so because each day there are doctors or, uh, healthcare practitioners that are doing their job, and treating patients and eventually we are going have so much resistance out there that we will not be able to have effective medications to treat these resistant microorganisms. So, absolutely we are near to the "post antibiotic era". Absolutely I agree with that. 

 

Le: What can those in the medical field or those in the general public do to prevent or slow drug resistance?

 

Nguyen: So I think that this question you have to take a look at both sides.  One the health care professional and two the patient. Of course, as the healthcare professional we need to be more vigilant, we need to educate the patient,  and we cannot allow the pressure (from patients) wanting antibiotics and we cannot prescribe antibiotics for them. Even if its for a viral cough. As you know viruses cannot be killed by an antibiotics so as a result, we would be over-prescribing and since these drugs cannot treat viruses it can lead to lead to other bacteria gaining resistance from these drugs and thats how we have a problem. And the patient of course, they need to be educated in that there are only certain things that they can take for bacterial infections and that there are only certain things that they should take for viral infections. You have to understand the difference between the two and from that you have to take the right type of medicine and you have to finish the medicine. Then that way it can not only treat this particular time but for future episodes as well. 

 

Le: Is there anything else you want to add?

 

Nguyen: Uhm. Yes absolutely, uh, always try to keep your body in tip top condition.  Take care of yourself, you know, eat right exercise. Those are all important ingredients along with taking your medication correctly allows your body to have a chance to fight off these infections on it's own.  Absolutely you have to take care of your body. 

 

Le: Ok thank you very much for speaking me---uhm speaking with me on this topic.

 

Nguyen: You're welcome.