NPA: Pharmacy can play major role in fighting antimicrobial resistance

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) marked European Antibiotic Awareness Day earlier  this week by outlining the measures community pharmacists can take to prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

To coincide with the event on November 18th 2013, the NPA issued a factsheet containing advice on ensuring practices conform to local and national guidelines on slowing the development of antibiotic resistance.

It highlights the importance of challenging unnecessary prescribing, advising on self-limiting conditions, managing patient expectations and best practice for Patient Group Directions.

This comes after NHS England issued a report last week suggesting that over-the-counter medicines sold by pharmacists represent a better option for treating many common winter illnesses than antibiotics.

Leyla Hannbeck, head of pharmacy services at the NPA, said: "Community pharmacy is ideally placed to provide stewardship on this issue and to help educate people on best practice related to the appropriate use of antibiotics."

Efforts to limit the use of antimicrobial therapies are currently taking place worldwide to curb the development of dangerous drug-resistant superbugs.