Bug Bus will stop off in Dublin as part of European Pfizer tour of the main cities
Dublin, Ireland: Monday 18th November – Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, in recognition of World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW), 18-24 November 2018, has announced that a ‘Bug Bus’ will visit Dublin city centre to mark the awareness week. The bus, which is part of a Global Pfizer initiative aims to educate members of the public about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and will also visit London and Zurich during the week-long initiative. It will be located in Dublin Castle on Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th from 8am-6pm and is free and open to members of the public.
The bus, which first stop is Dublin, offers an interactive and educational experience for the general public to learn more about what they can do to help create greater antibiotic awareness. People who visit the bus can look forward to taking part in the ‘Battle the Bacteria’ interactive game, Meet the Superbug Family in the selfie area, learn more about how to #StopSuperbugs through our interactive tools and also visit our handwashing station to learn the importance of clean hands.
AMR can affect anyone, of any age, in any country. It occurs when pathogens change and find ways to resist the effects of antibiotics. The pathogens survive, grow and spread their resistance.1 This process of adaptation leads to AMR.2 If no solution is found, the consequences of AMR could be devastating. Minor infections and injuries could become life-threating, and serious infections such as pneumonia could become impossible to treat. Further, many routine medical procedures could be too risky to perform because of the risk of becoming infected while in hospital by a multi-drug resistant pathogen.3
In support of World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2019, Prof. Kirsten Schaffer, President Irish Society of Clinical Microbiologist, Consultant Microbiologist, St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin says: “Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a real threat to modern medicine and human health. Clinical Microbiologists believe that sustaining antimicrobial treatment for infections in current and future generations requires urgent multifactorial interventions by government, healthcare professionals, industry and the Irish society in general. Only if we initiate firm action now, we will be able to contain AMR.”
Speaking about Pfizer’s involvement in World Antibiotic Awareness Week, John Molony, Hospital Business Unit Lead, Pfizer Ireland said:“At Pfizer, we are driven by our desire to protect global public health and address the medical needs of people suffering from infectious diseases. We are pleased to bring the ‘Bug Bus’ to Dublin and welcome members of the public to visit and educate themselves and their families on how they can protect themselves. The ‘Bug Bus’ is accessible and the information is presented in a fun and impactful way. We look forward to continuing to collaborate closely with governments, policymakers and healthcare organizations to develop solutions and share resources to help reduce the global impact of AMR.”
Dr Nuala O Connor, GP Irish College of General Practitioners Lead Advisor Antibiotic Resistance and also added: “Unfortunately awareness of antibiotic resistance and the problem we face treating resistant infections is not as high as what it should. Therefore, it is very encouraging to see a company like Pfizer be very proactive in this space – the Bug Bus will give members of the public an opportunity to learn about antibiotic resistance and ‘superbugs’ in an interactive and informative way. I would encourage anyone in the locality to visit the Bug Bus and educate themselves about how they can help keep antibiotics working. Check out www.undertheweather.ie for tips on managing coughs cold sore throats earache and rashes without antibiotics”
As one of the leading global providers of anti-infective medicines, Pfizer is committed to working closely with the infectious disease community to address AMR, through:[i]
- Active stewardship to support education efforts for both healthcare professionals and the general public, by offering training and education to raise public awareness of AMR.
- Innovative surveillance tools such as the Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance (ATLAS) database which provides physicians and the global health community with free access to critical data on the efficacy of various antibiotic treatments and emerging resistance patterns in more than 70 countries.[ii],[iii] In January 2018, the Access to Medicines Benchmark Report on AMR noted that Pfizer’s ATLAS program “stands out among all AMR surveillance programs,” as it is completely accessible to the infectious disease community.”[iv]
- Global policy leadership to facilitate antibiotic and vaccine development, access and proper use, and partnering with governments and organizations to address AMR.
- Expanding its diverse portfolio of anti-infective medicines and vaccines to help treat and prevent serious infections around the world. Today, Pfizer is one of the leading providers of anti-infective medicines, offering patients access to a diverse portfolio of medicines. This includes 45 antibiotics that are currently included on the WHO’s essential medicines list6and innovative vaccines.
- Applying responsible manufacturing practices that minimize impact to human health and the environment.
In addition to the efforts being undertaken by the infectious disease community, there are things individuals can do every day to help prevent the development and mitigate the spread of AMR. First, don’t take any medicine, especially antibiotics, unless you need them. For example, antibiotics – which target bacteria – are ineffective in treating the common cold, which is most often caused by a virus. If you are prescribed an antibiotic, make sure to take it exactly as instructed by your doctor. Finish the course of medicine, don’t miss any doses, and don’t take medicines prescribed for someone else. Keeping up to date with your vaccinations also reduces the chance that you’ll catch an infection that needs to be treated with an antimicrobial.
For more information and additional resources on Pfizer WAAW2019 please visit our HCP website:
www.pfizerpro.ie/worldantibioticawarenessweek2019
#WAAW2019 #StopSuperbugs
