19.03.12
Falling on deaf ears
The dire warning from WHO that our antibiotics could soon be useless at fighting bacteria should come as little surprise.
Constant work and research is needed to maintain an adequate level of safety; once cures are discovered, we cannot just sit back and relax. The risk remains.
In the case of antibiotics, there are actually simple ways to increase their effectiveness. Doctors can improve prescriptions and patients can realise that they should not be used as a catch-all cure, as and when you have a minor ailment.
Unfortunately, this seems like an issue which is acknowledged as a risk, yet is not quite immediate enough or serious enough in politician’s minds to demand consideration and action now.
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