antibiotics Archives | Pacific Public Health Foundation

Newsletter #30: November 2021

foundry — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 19:14:21 +0000

In this month's newsletter, 'Tis the Season of Giving Tuesday, We're Seeking a Senior Development Officer to Join Our Growing Fundraising Team, Activate Health by Reducing Unnecessary Antibiotic Use, and more!

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Joining Forces Against AMR

foundry — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 17:48:49 +0000

On February 12, we teamed up with our friends at Science World and Antibiotic Wise for a fun and free event entitled Resistance: Addressing the threat of drug-resistant infections. To kick off the evening, we screened the film Resistance, which looks at one of the most revolutionary discoveries of the 20th century—antibiotics—and how we’re well on our way to squandering their power.

The film uses firsthand accounts of those who have experienced antibiotic resistant infections and the devastation they can wreak on an individual and family, plus expert interviews, to show us how we’ve gotten here.

The takeaway: while the situation is serious, we are not doomed. Yet.

After the film, we had three experts in the field of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), Drs David Patrick, Bob Hancock, and Victor Leung, led us through a question and answer period highlighting what individuals can do in their lives to fight against growing antibiotic resistance, what new technologies and resources are in development to help combat resistance, and what Canada is doing—and must begin to do—to turn the tide.

Healthcare providers and leaders have been waking up to AMR and how serious it is for our population. Antibiotic prescribing in Canada is decreasing, and as we heard from Dr Leung, rapid testing exists in hospital settings to determine exactly what pathogen might be causing an infection, allowing doctors to treat it appropriately. But personal protection is also important.

What you can do to prevent antibiotic resistance

A huge thanks again to our wonderful partners, Science World and Antibiotic Wise, for supporting this important work.

Stay in touch

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Popcorn Kickoff for 2018-19 Grand Rounds a Success!

foundry — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 14:53:38 +0000

The BCCDC Foundation is pleased to play a role on the UBC BC CDC Grand Rounds committee and in supporting research and continuing education at the BC Centre for Disease Control.

The UBC BC CDC Grand Rounds committee held its annual popcorn kick-off to the 2018-19 Grand Rounds schedule on Sept 11^th in its temporary location for the coming months: the Hardwick Hall of UBC MSAC (Medical Student & Alumni Centre).

As an interesting start to the year, those present watched a screening of the award winning documentary “Resistance” (with the blessing of the director and paid licencing for group viewing).

A synopsis: Antibiotics were first massed-produced in the 1940s and their ability to fight and kill bacteria revolutionized medicine and profoundly impacted everything from agriculture to war. After less than 80 years, these miracle drugs are failing. Resistant infections kill hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year and there are now dozens of so-called superbugs each with its own challenges and costs. How did this happen? Using microscopic footage, harrowing personal stories, and expert insights, RESISTANCE clarifies the problem of antibiotic resistance, how we got to this point, and what we can do to turn the tide. You can view a trailer for the film here.

Thanks to @meenrz for the photos!

Upcoming UBC BC CDC Grand Rounds sessions will include talks on making sense of whole genome sequencing metadata, an update on the air quality health index for Vancouver, infectious diseases of the future, and machine learning/AI in public health, just to name a few.

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