Over 200 sign up to be an Antibiotic Guardian

Members of the HPRU in HCAI and AMR at Imperial College manning the Antibiotic Amnesty Stand during WAAW

Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance raise awareness among college staff and students

Last week saw the first ever World Antibiotic Awareness Week which ran from 16th -22nd November.  To mark the event members of the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance manned stands at South Kensington and Hammersmith Campuses to raise awareness among staff and students of the threat that resistance poses, and take receipt of any unwanted antibiotics.

The collection of unused and unwanted antibiotics was part of an Antibiotic Amnesty, held in conjunction with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Lloyds Pharmacies.  The Amnesty saw a range of antibiotics including Amoxicillin, Doxycycline,Phenoxymethylpenicillin, Flucloxacillin and Co-amoxiclav surrendered for disposal. 

Failing to take antibiotics according to the instructions; including saving part of the prescription to use at a later date, and buying antibiotics abroad to self-medicate all drive antibiotic resistance.  This is because inappropriate or suboptimal consumption of antibiotics allows bacteria to become exposed to the drugs in doses which do not kill them, thus allowing them to adapt and become resistant to the medication in question.  Bacteria which become resistant to antibiotics are able to share their DNA with other bacteria.  This allows resistance to spread rapidly.

Mark Gilchrist, Consultant Pharmacist in Infectious Diseases at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said "the Trust was fully engaged with the idea of the Antibiotic Amnesty. It was a great way of getting antibiotics off the street and disposed of safely".

Members of the HPRU team also invited College staff and students to become Antibiotic Guardians.  This initiative, run by Public Health England, invites people to select one of a number of pledges  designed to conserve our working antibiotics.  They include pledges to try treating the symptoms of coughs, colds, sore throats and flu for five days rather than going straight to the GP and pledges to take antibiotics exactly as prescribed never sharing them with others.  Those with families are encouraged to pledge that they will practice and teach good hand hygiene to reduce transmission of resistance and to talk to their pharmacist about how to treat  children's symptoms in the case of a cough or cold rather than going immediately to the GP.

Over 200 people from among the College community pledged to become an Antibiotic Guardian during the course of the week.  Those interested in making pledge can still do so here