7C52 Miracle Drugs

Background It is always important to follow directions and take all antibiotics as prescribed. But are they miracle drugs, will they cure every infection, and how can we maintain their effectiveness? Antibiotics have been used to fight illness for over 60 years but are losing their effect due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Resistance Reasons for antibiotic-resistant bacteria include overprescription and incorrect use. So the drugs you rely on may not work. Some people stop taking medication when they start to feel better. The stronger bacteria may not be killed yet and are more likely to reproduce and grow without any competition from weaker microbes that were already killed

Stronger Medicine If the stronger bacteria now cause disease it may require the use of stronger antibiotics. If you take antibiotics for no good reason you also only kill weaker bacteria, which makes it harder to treat the patient in the future. So the drugs may lose their ability to help you get better when you really do need them.

Overuse One reason antibiotics are overused is that so many people ask for them. Patients believe antibiotics will cure any illness they may have. But antibiotics only work against certain microbes like bacteria, NOT against viruses. Doctors used to prescribe antibiotics as a precaution but this is less common and they now are only prescribed for specific diseases.

7C52 Drug Analysis: 1 Paragraph Why is it bad to take unneeded antibiotics? Explain why antibiotics are overused. Is it okay to use someone else’s antibiotics? Should you stop taking antibiotics early just because you start to feel better? If a doctor prescribes you an antibiotic for the flu what would you do?