Clinton, MO. – (Nov. 24, 2022) – During Antibiotic Awareness Week, Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare (GVMH) is encouraging patients to “Be Antibiotics Aware” to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance.
The “Be Antibiotics Aware” campaign encourages patients to only take antibiotics when they are prescribed and necessary. The misuse of antibiotics can lead to antimicrobial resistance, an urgent health threat that happens when germs, like bacteria and fungi, develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. More than 2.8 million antimicrobial resistant infections occur in the United States each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result.
“Antibiotics are a critical resource for treating common and serious infections. It is vital that we are stewards of this resource as they are finite,” said David Shultz, Pharmacy Director at GVMH. “Appropriate dosing and duration of treatment are paramount in preventing resistance to antibiotics. It is the responsibility of those that prescribe, dispense and administer these medications to ensure we comply with that.”
