The role of pharmacists in antimicrobial stewardship

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been declared a global public health emergency, necessitating the involvement of the whole of society to address this increasingly serious threat. AMR causes prolonged illness, greater risk of infection spread, increased morbidity, and higher mortality rates, which result in increased expenses to the government, healthcare services, and individuals. Inappropriate use of antimicrobials has been indicated as the primary cause for the global expansion of AMR. Under these circumstances, various countries have formulated suitable national action plans to curb AMR. In Japan, the national action plan on AMR was announced in April 2016. Our previous study clarified that orally administered antimicrobials accounted for approximately 90% of total consumption: oral third-generation cephalosporins, macrolides, and fluoroquinolones accounted for approximately 77% of oral consumption. Therefore pharmacists must extend their support for the appropriate use of antimicrobials prescribed by attending physicians to not only hospitalized patients but also outpatients. "Choosing wisely," a US-based health education campaign, warns against unnecessary use of antimicrobials. Pharmacists should strive to disseminate the concept of "choosing wisely" in relation to other medicines, implement further interventions, and evaluate them. In this article, we present data on use of antimicrobials in Japan, and mention how pharmacists should be involved in enabling physicians choose antimicrobials wisely.