RECENTLY-PUBLISHED statistics on 10 most common medications Saudis use has angered doctors and pharmacists because antibiotics topped the list. In 2013, SR298 million was spent on antibiotics with Augmentin and Clavox accounting for the largest percentage of the spending. Doctors said many patients were taking antibiotics unnecessarily and urged the government to prevent the dispensation of antibiotics without a doctor's prescription. The Makkah daily discussed the issue with Dr. Ahmed Al-Maiman, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and dean of the Faculty of Pharmacology at Al-Qassim University. Al-Maiman said antibiotics should only be sold to people who have a doctor's prescription. “The Ministry of Health regulations in Saudi Arabia support this system. The problem in Saudi Arabia involves two basic factors: the first is a lack of clinical experience by the practitioner while the second factor is the greed of the marketing company as well as the practitioner,” he said. “It is important to note that most of the inflammations that afflict us in the throat, ear, tonsils, vocal cords and upper respiratory system are caused by viruses. It is well known that viral inflammations cannot be cured with antibiotics because antibiotics kill bacteria alone. They do not destroy viruses. The problem of antibiotics is that they do not have a direct and visible effect so people take them anyway,” he added. He, however, warned that the effect, with time, is serious because it can lead to antibiotic resistance, which has been described one of the world's most pressing public health problems and it is for this reason warnings are regularly issued in scientific and medical publications in both the Kingdom and abroad against the excessive use of antibiotics. Many field studies conducted in Saudi Arabia have revealed that resistance to bacteria is increasing tremendously and this is because of the widespread and indiscriminate use of antibiotics. Elaborating on the topic, Dr. Abduljabbar Fetaini, consultant in family medicine, explained the role antibiotics play in the body. “An antibiotic is a compound that kills or prevents the growth of bacteria. It is used for the treatment of bacterial infections. There is a difference between a virus and a bacterium. As for inflammations caused by viruses, antibiotics cannot cure them,” he said. “The majority of diseases that affect people like throat and ear inflammations, influenza or diarrhea are due to viruses that infect the human body. People should know that the life span of viruses is five to seven days. They disappear after that without the help of any medicine. If a patient's condition does not improve within three days from the onset of the disease, he should consult a doctor first so that the appropriate measures can be taken.” Fetaini said the reason why people take antibiotics unnecessarily is their lack of awareness about the complications they cause. “People are in a hurry to get well and take antibiotics without consulting a doctor. This may contribute to a speedy recovery but the harm is greater than the benefit because excessive use of antibiotics affects the liver and kidney, apart from developing resistance to antibiotics over time,” Fetaini said. “There are natural antibiotics that have many health benefits and lead to a quick recovery. These include fruit and vegetables, garlic, honey, cinnamon, lemon, radish and nuts. Taking these foods strengthens the immune system,” he added.
