When they first emerged, antimicrobial drugs were heralded as a revolution in healthcare and quite rightly: many infections that would otherwise have killed people became curable. However, all too soon they shifted from “wonder drug” to “a pill for every ill” and over the last few decades, inappropriate use has become widespread. For example, antibiotics are often prescribed for viral conditions when they are only effective for bacterial infections. They are also widely used for infections that can clear up without intervention, putting the individual at unnecessary risk of side effects. The more antimicrobial drugs are used for trivial conditions, the more likely it is that they won’t be effective when needed for more serious infections. 

Antibiotic resistance has also led to the emergence of superbugs – bacterial strains that don’t respond to many different types of antibacterial agents, for example, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C. diff). These are becoming an increasing cause of disability and death worldwide and there are concerns that yet more untreatable superbugs may appear, particularly as the rate at which new antimicrobial agents are being discovered has slowed down considerably.

Antimicrobial stewardship aims to combat this. This is about raising awareness of the need for prescribers and patients to use antimicrobials appropriately in order to protect the health of current and future generations. Everyone working in healthcare has a vital role to play.