The development of antibiotics in the 20th century was a major medical advancement. Hailed as wonder drugs, medications like penicillin have saved millions of lives.  But 60 years of misuse and overuse has allowed mutated strains of bacteria to become resistant to the same drugs that once wiped them out.  Every year, more than 2.8 million infections from bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics occur in the U.S. and more than 35,000 people die as a direct result. 

During Antibiotic Awareness Week, Jonathan Fialkow, M.D. and his guests, clinical pharmacists Timothy Gauthier, PharmD and Jefferson Cua, PharmD, explain why we all need to take action to protect these precious antimicrobial drugs.

More information about Antibiotic Awareness Week is available on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website.