Spicy MD

Spicy MD just a random collection of intrusive thoughts of a tired MD.

Sprinkling some pasado dust on your timeline โœจ
04/10/2025

Sprinkling some pasado dust on your timeline โœจ

A friendly reminder for the board exams ๐Ÿซถ
03/10/2025

A friendly reminder for the board exams ๐Ÿซถ

๐“๐ก๐ž ๐’๐ข๐ฅ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐›๐ฎ๐ญ ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐๐š๐ง๐๐ž๐ฆ๐ข๐œ: ๐€๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐›๐ข๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐œ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ง๐œ๐žI remember a 31-year-old patient who frequently bought antibiotics ...
03/10/2025

๐“๐ก๐ž ๐’๐ข๐ฅ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐›๐ฎ๐ญ ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐๐š๐ง๐๐ž๐ฆ๐ข๐œ: ๐€๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐›๐ข๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐œ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ง๐œ๐ž

I remember a 31-year-old patient who frequently bought antibiotics โ€˜Sa kapitbahayโ€™, taking them for every minor illness, fevers, the occasional runny nose, illnesses that did not require antibiotics. No prescription, no proper dosing, just whatever was available. He felt fine, until one day, he wasnโ€™t.

Pneumonia, which would have been treated with first-line antibiotics turned deadly. The usual antibiotics didnโ€™t work. Even the strongest last-resort drugs failed. He succumbed to a drug-resistant bacterial infection that, years ago, would have been easily treatable.

The worst part? His younger sibling contracted it too, and was treated in the hospital for 16 days in the Intensive care unit.

This isnโ€™t a rare case. Antibiotic resistance is growing, and itโ€™s killing people.

๐–๐ก๐ฒ ๐ˆ๐ฌ ๐“๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐‡๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ž๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ?

โ€ข Rampant overuse and misuse of antibiotics, self-medication, incomplete courses, unnecessary prescriptions.
โ€ข Unregulated sales in pharmacies and even online.
โ€ข Antibiotics in livestock and agriculture, accelerating resistance.

๐“๐ก๐ž ๐‘๐ž๐š๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ

โ€ข Drug-resistant infections already kill 1.2 million people per year, more than HIV/AIDS or malaria.
โ€ข Simple infections like pneumonia or UTIs are becoming harder to treat.
โ€ข We are running out of effective antibiotics.

๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐‚๐š๐ง ๐๐ž ๐ƒ๐จ๐ง๐ž?

โ€ข Stop using antibiotics without a prescription. They donโ€™t work for colds, flu, or viral infections.
โ€ข Stronger regulations on antibiotic sales, no more over-the-counter access.
โ€ข Better hygiene and infection control to slow the spread of resistant bacteria.
โ€ข Investment in new antibiotics and alternative treatments.

This isnโ€™t a future threat. Itโ€™s already here. If we donโ€™t act, weโ€™re heading toward a world where a minor cut, a simple cough, or a routine surgery could be a death sentence.

๐Ÿฉธ โ€œ๐™’๐™๐™ฎ ๐˜ฟ๐™ค ๐™’๐™š ๐™ƒ๐™–๐™ซ๐™š ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™‹๐™–๐™ฎ ๐™›๐™ค๐™ง ๐˜ฝ๐™ก๐™ค๐™ค๐™™ ๐™’๐™๐™š๐™ฃ ๐™„๐™ฉโ€™๐™จ ๐˜ฟ๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™–๐™ฉ๐™š๐™™ ๐™›๐™ค๐™ง ๐™๐™ง๐™š๐™š?โ€ ๐ŸฉธA family member needs blood. You rush to the hospital. ...
02/10/2025

๐Ÿฉธ โ€œ๐™’๐™๐™ฎ ๐˜ฟ๐™ค ๐™’๐™š ๐™ƒ๐™–๐™ซ๐™š ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™‹๐™–๐™ฎ ๐™›๐™ค๐™ง ๐˜ฝ๐™ก๐™ค๐™ค๐™™ ๐™’๐™๐™š๐™ฃ ๐™„๐™ฉโ€™๐™จ ๐˜ฟ๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™–๐™ฉ๐™š๐™™ ๐™›๐™ค๐™ง ๐™๐™ง๐™š๐™š?โ€ ๐Ÿฉธ

A family member needs blood. You rush to the hospital. You call friends to donate. And then the hospital still charges you 1,800 per unit.

Why? It is a valid question, donors donโ€™t earn from the donations but patients pay for it.

Are they profiting off kindness?

๐Ÿ›‘ ๐—ก๐—ผ. ๐—›๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฒโ€™๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ฟ๐˜‚๐˜๐—ต:
Youโ€™re NOT paying for the blood.
Youโ€™re paying for the life-saving process that makes sure that blood wonโ€™t affect the person youโ€™re trying to save.

๐Ÿ’‰ ๐—˜๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ต ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ถ๐˜ ๐—ด๐—ผ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ด๐—ต:
๐Ÿ”ฌ Screening tests - HIV, Hepatitis B/C, malaria, syphilis
โš™๏ธ Component separation - red cells, plasma, platelets
๐ŸงŠ Storage & refrigeration
๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€โš•๏ธ Staffing - med techs, nurses, logistics, admin

Screening?
To prevent the transmission of blood-transmitted diseases like HIV, Hepatitis and others.

Component separation?
For the use of consumable supplies for the separation of blood products into platelets, red cells, etc.

Storage and Refrigeration?
To maintain the viability of the blood products, because if not kept in certain conditions these blood products may EXPIRE.

Staffing?
All of these procedures required trained and paid professionals we pay for their expertise.

All of these cost money, ensuring that the blood that the patient is receiving is safe for use, because not all blood units are compatible with every patient, two people may have the same blood types but may not be compatible.

Under Republic Act 7719 and DOH AO 2015โ€‘0045, the โ‚ฑ1,800 cap ensures youโ€™re only paying to recoup costs, not to profit.

โœ… Bottom Line

The โ‚ฑ1,800 you pay isnโ€™t for the blood itself itโ€™s for the safe, regulated process of transforming donated blood into a usable, life-saving medical product.

It covers testing, processing, safe storage, qualified personnel, and quality control, all essential to prevent infections and ensure compatibility.

Billions in taxes are squeezed out of ordinary Filipinos.VAT here, excise tax there, every single peso taken from a work...
01/10/2025

Billions in taxes are squeezed out of ordinary Filipinos.

VAT here, excise tax there, every single peso taken from a workforce already breaking their backs and yet when it comes to hospitals, roads, or disaster preparedness, the budget always seems too tight. Somehow, there is always room for questionable priorities, unnecessary perks, and projects that do not directly reach the people.

Meanwhile, patients endure 12-hour lines at public hospitals, waiting for the kind of basic care that should have been secured long ago.

We should demand better.

Pumaldo sa JCO Donuts at Starbucks nanaman si dakter.
26/09/2025

Pumaldo sa JCO Donuts at Starbucks nanaman si dakter.

Itโ€™s natural to feel anger toward people who exploit the system, because corruption and abuse cause real harm to communi...
26/09/2025

Itโ€™s natural to feel anger toward people who exploit the system, because corruption and abuse cause real harm to communities and even to patients you care for.

However, In Philippine medical ethics, the Code of Ethics (PMAโ€“PRC, 2019) reminds us that every person has intrinsic worth and dignity, and physicians are bound to provide competent, compassionate care without discrimination. It clearly states that a patientโ€™s social status, reputation, or even societal pressures must never compromise beneficence the duty to put the patientโ€™s health above all else. Simply put, whether your patient is rich, poor, or even a โ€œcorrupt contractor,โ€ your professional duty is the same: respect their dignity and give them the care they need.

Non-discrimination ensures that our profession remains rooted in compassion and justice, even when our emotions and morals are tested.

Mapapa pikit ka nalang eh.
24/09/2025

Mapapa pikit ka nalang eh.

Hanep tong flashlight na nabili ko, mayroong free na Taenia spp. ova ๐Ÿ˜‚
23/09/2025

Hanep tong flashlight na nabili ko, mayroong free na Taenia spp. ova ๐Ÿ˜‚

kilig siya ihh ๐Ÿฅ€
20/09/2025

kilig siya ihh ๐Ÿฅ€

Universal OR Lights photo pose:
10/09/2025

Universal OR Lights photo pose:

Ako pagkatapos pagbintangan na sinungaling ng resident pagkasabi nang patient na wala siyang comorbids tapos meron pala:
09/09/2025

Ako pagkatapos pagbintangan na sinungaling ng resident pagkasabi nang patient na wala siyang comorbids tapos meron pala:

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