Introduction

Each year, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is estimated to cause 4.71 million deaths worldwide, with 1.27 million of these directly attributed to resistant infections. In Europe alone, 25,000 deaths annually are linked to AMR. These figures highlight the urgent need for co-ordinated efforts to combat this crisis.

Community pharmacy teams are uniquely positioned to address this growing challenge by educating patients on the risks of AMR and promoting effective antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). This includes raising awareness about the limitations of antibiotics, such as their ineffectiveness against viral infections like colds and flu, as well as encouraging patients to follow prescribed treatment regimens precisely.

The pharmacy team can also help to dispel common misconceptions, such as the belief that stronger or longer antibiotic courses are always better. Engaging patients in discussions about self care strategies for self-limiting infections can reduce unnecessary antibiotic demand.

Since primary care is where 80 per cent of antibiotics are prescribed, community pharmacy teams are central to AMS, being ideally placed to manage patient expectations, provide self care advice and identify ‘red flags’ that require medical attention. Key AMS activities in community pharmacy include:

• Educating patients about the usual duration of self-limiting infections (e.g. colds, sinusitis, bronchitis)
• Providing self care advice to reduce unnecessary visits to GP surgeries
• Dispelling common misconceptions about antibiotics, such as their effectiveness against viral infections.
• Resources like the TARGET toolkit can be utilised to ensure consistent, evidence-based messages are delivered to patients, promoting the appropriate use of antibiotics and supporting AMS efforts.