Researchers are becoming increasingly worried that parts of the world are entering a post-antibiotic era where antibiotics are ineffective in treating common infections.
In preparation for the World Health Organizations first ever World Antibiotic Awareness Week, Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy is hosting a free public lecture to discuss antibiotic resistance, its effects and consequences.
Date: Thursday November 12, 2015
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: School of Pharmacy, Room 1004, 10A Victoria Street South, Kitchener
“Our culture often thinks of an antibiotic prescription as proof that a person is very sick,” said Professor Kelly Grindrod from Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy. “This is a mistake. We also get really sick from viral infections but antibiotics cannot treat viruses. We need to be careful that we save antibiotics for the times we need to prevent or treat a serious bacterial illness.”
The WHO campaign aims to increase awareness of global antibiotic resistance and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.
The lecture aims to inform community members how we can slow the rate of resistance development by limiting antibiotic use to when the antibiotics will make us better.
Speakers at the event include Professor Grindrod and Brett Barrett, an infectious disease pharmacist from Grand River Hospital.
