Worried about Antibiotic Resistance? Cepheid Has Solutions

What if the medicines you take stop working?

That’s a reality for many people as Superbugs are making medications like antibiotics ineffective.

Antimicrobial Resistance (A.M.R) is when germs like bacteria and fungi defeat the drugs designed to kill them.

Dr. Fred Tenover, Vice President of Scientific Affairs at Cepheid, says that everybody will get infections, which can sometimes be severe.

When you treat with an antibiotic that is no longer effective, several things can happen, including a longer healing process or the risk of the infection worsening.

This continues to be a public health threat exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic and antibiotic overprescribing.

People taking antibiotics that aren’t needed give the bacteria a chance to develop resistance. We need to be careful and wise about how we use antibiotics.

Cepheid advocates testing to ensure they are giving the right antibiotic with the correct dose at the right time. It’s time to reconsider how and when you use antibiotics.

Dr. Tenover says the best way to do this is by avoiding infections altogether. This time of year, we must wash our hands, cook the food appropriately, and cover up cuts and open wounds immediately. Try your best not to spread germs, be proactive, and then we can avoid needing antibiotics in the first place.

If your doctor is about to prescribe you an antibiotic, have a conversation with them to ensure you get the proper treatment. We have to be our health advocates with our doctors. Could you ask your doctor how long you need to take this antibiotic, what the side effects are, and make sure they do the proper test to determine what you need?

You can learn more about A.M.R. at the CDC website and proper diagnostic testing at cepheid.com.