Antibiotic use and globalisation

There was a very interesting article recently published in The Economist regarding the link between antibiotic use and a country’s views on globalisation. Some of the excerpts from the articles below:

- A poll last year asked Europeans whether globalisation offered an opportunity for better growth. The map of the result is similar to the map of antibiotic consumption. Comparing countries that use the most antibiotics with those most sceptical of globalisation, four of the top five countries match and six of the bottom ten match.

- Greeks are the heaviest users of antibiotics while the Dutch are the fewest.(LINK)

- Greek paediatricians said 85% of parents demanded antibiotics for their children with the common cold virus. 65% of parents insisted till their doctors gave in.

- In the Netherlands, if somebody has a nasty cold and their doctor gives them antibiotics, they will say’ my doctor is a coward, he goes straight for the strong drugs’.(*Grins* Heheheh….)

- One study found that 40% of Germans disliked antibiotics fearing they weaken the body’s natural immunities.

If you are practicing as a health professional in Malaysia, surely you would have come across people asking for antibiotics for many ailments that do not require their usage – many people ask for antibiotics for flu but in reality antibiotics cannot fight viruses. Even after explaining to them that antibiotics are for bacterial infections only, they will still want antibiotics. I’ve encountered an elderly lady who will not leave until she gets a course of azithromycin for her headache. Another uncle told me he takes ampicillin almost everyday to prevent any ill health and rejected my advice that what he is doing is actually causing harm instead. Many people think antibiotics can cure anything and they will resort to using it if they think that nothing else can work for them.

Out of 10 of these cases, probably around 2 of them will follow my advice and opt for a more suitable medication…and interestingly they are always young adults. Elderly people are hardened in their ways and very difficult to persuade while younger people tend to be more open. They tend to stick with what they feel is ‘safe’ knowledge (I always buy antibiotics for flu what!? Why only you don’t sell to me but all the clinics and other pharmacies I go to give willingly?).

So what does that have to do with globalisation you ask? In times of uncertainties and rising unemployment, governments throughout the world will face calls from their people to ‘protect their interests’ by erecting trade barriers. Look at the automobile industry in our country. It is very obvious that our national carmakers are given an advantage over foreign competitors but do you see them making use of that advantage to compete with their competitors seriously? Hahah, in fact they are asking for more protection.

KUALA LUMPUR: The International Trade and Industry Ministry has received requests from bumiputra motor traders that the approved permits (APs) system be extended until 2020.

Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Government had plans to review the bumiputra motor traders’ industry and a five-year plan was in the works to help them improve their operations.

According to sources, the Government had tentatively approved for the APs to be extended to 2020. Under the National Automotive Policy (NAP), the AP system is to be phased out by Dec 31, 2010.

Sad to say, like using antibiotics indiscrimately, trade protection will cause more harm than good. I drive a proton, but not by choice lar… My next car will probably be something Japanese. Come to think of it, what happened to AFTA in the first place?