Madeline Ginn
English 101.6, Stahl
11/30/09
Paper 4 Rough Draft
Ginn 41
Antibiotic Resistance: A Social Obstacle
When I was on the swim team in high school, there was always a point in the season
when the entire team would get sick. My coach Mr. Lawrence would always conclude
practice with a speech on how we need to get lots of rest, drink lots of fluids, and go to the
doctor and get antibiotics if we were sick. The first half of his advice was valid: rest and
fluids are the perfect remedy for the cold/flu viruses. The second half, however, is part of a
dangerous misconception society has regarding antibiotic use: they cure everything, and
can be used without consequences. Because of this, we, as a society, not the medical and
agricultural industries are responsible for the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Because
of this, it is our responsibility to find a solution.
A common argument is that the blame for antibiotic overuse should fall on the
agricultural industry. About 25 million pounds, or 70% of the antibiotics produced in the
United States, are used for the promotion of growth and the prevention of disease in
livestock (Larson 406). The mass use of these drugs in animals can account for increased
isolation of resistant bacteria because the more antibiotics are administered, the more
natural selection picks out the bacteria that can resist the antibiotics. Furthermore, it has
been found that these resistant strains can colonize in humans simply by contact with the
infected animal (Larson 408). This evidence may seem convincing, but there are many
uncertainties surrounding this argument. For example, there are conflicting studies
regarding exactly how much of a drug is required to cause resistance: some sources argue
that the low levels fed to animals are not enough (Hunter 16). In addition, multiple federal
investigations have indicated that antibiotic resistance is most greatly attributed to two
Ginn 42
factors: misuse by doctors and patients, and the emergence of resistant pathogens in
hospital settings (Hunter 16).
Doctors and hospitals are two major components of our medical system. Therefore,
it would seem that the medical field is responsible for antibiotic resistance. It is very
common for doctors to prescribe antibiotics when they are unwarranted. In fact, it has
been suggested that over half of the antibiotics prescribed to patients with acute
respiratory infections are unnecessary (Werner 22). My own doctor has given me
antibiotics for a viral infection, as a preventative measure, because my weakend immune
system is more susceptible to contracting pneumonia as a secondary infection.
Realistically, I know of very few people who have ended up hospitalized with pneumonia as
a result of a cold or flu. My doctor, and many others, by prescribing antibiotics to me and
other patients, are dramatically speeding up the natural selection process and increasing
resistance rates.
The antibiotic resistant bacterial strains in question are most often found in
hospitals (Davies S20). MRSA, one of these resistant strains, that caused a widespread
panic in 2007, was actually unique to intensive care units before the public outbreak
(Davies 619). This evidence seems to suggest that hospitals are a breeding ground for
antibiotic resistance. If this is true, it would only make sense that they should be working
to eliminate these infections. I know from my experience working in a hospital that they
are extremely clean places. I didn’t even experience patient contact, yet I was expected to
wash my hands upon entering and exiting each room. Disposal and disinfectant policies for
used items are very strict. Hospitals are doing all they can do to prevent infection. It is a
trade off: hospitals can either maintain clean atmospheres, which increase natural selection
Ginn 43
rates, or they can risk more patients contracting common bacterial infections. They choose
the former, because it is more of a rarity.
As far as coming up with a solution, it can be argued that the pharmaceutical
companies should be creating more antibiotics. In “Microbes Have the Last Word,” Julian
Davies explains: “Most of the agents commonly used today were discovered in the 1950s
and 1960s. Since then, the pharmaceutical industry has been largely occupied with
improving or extending the activity of existing compounds. The search for new antibiotics
has continued, but less vigorously.” It is obvious that bacteria are rapidly acquiring
resistances to the current antibiotics we have. In “Resistance Redux,” Davies again
addresses this problem stating that “the discovery and development of new
antibiotics…[is] imperative.” The failure of the pharmaceutical companies contributes to
the argument that the medical field should take responsibility for antibiotic resistance.
While these arguments regarding the medical field’s involvement in antibiotic
resistance are valid, the underlying cause is our society’s views on the use of antibiotics.
Doctors often feel pressured by their patients to prescribe antibiotics. In a study done in
doctors’ offices in Denver, Colorado, it was proven that patient education programs result
in fewer antibiotic prescriptions by doctors (Werner 25). This is because of the common
misconception that if one is sick, he or she needs medication to make him or herself feel
better. We need to better educate ourselves, and take a more active role in our health. We
need to understand that if we have a viral infection, plentiful rest and fluids can be the most
effective cure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention goes as far as suggesting
that it is also important for patients to ask their health care providers if antibiotic
treatment can be avoided (par 14). For example, when my doctor recommended a
Ginn 44
prescription to ward off the slight chance of my contracting pneumonia, I should have
asked her if there was anything I could do to avoid that method of treatment.
Patients in hospitals are often at a considerably greater risk for secondary infection,
and are therefore treated with more antibiotics. As mentioned above, this creates the
perfect environment for the emergence of resistant pathogens. Unfortunately, hospitals
are locked into this practice. It is unavoidable that there are many opportunities for
infection in a hospital: it is comprised almost entirely of ill individuals. Unfortunately, we
live in a day and age where lawsuits are common against physicians and hospitals in a
patient in their care becomes infected with a secondary infection. This threat has only been
increased by the government declaration that as of 2009, drug resistant infections that
require prolonged hospital care are considered medical malpractice (Davies S20). We have
backed our hospital system into a corner, and unfortunately, the only way for them to
respond is to continue to treat more and more patients with wide-spectrum antibiotics as a
precautionary measure, regardless of whether or not it is warranted.
Our pharmaceutical companies have also experienced social pressure. In our
current system, pharmaceuticals is a business. In an economy like the United States, it is
necessary for these businesses to compete in order to make money. The reality of
producing antibiotics is a steep one. The average cost of creating a new drug ranges from
eight to nine million dollars, and can take upwards of ten years. By the time a new drug is
approved, the patents have reached expiration, and generic companies create competition
that results in profit loss for the developing company (Lawson 406). We are also living in a
society heavily influenced by pop culture drugs, such as sexual performance enhancers and
diet pills, who’s exploding success discourages pharmaceutical companies to invest
Ginn 45
resources in projects such as antibiotics that seem to only hurt the company. The
development of disease-curing drugs should be a government priority, as it affects the well
being of a nation’s citizens, rather than a business venture.
We, as a society, have a responsibility: to address the problem of antibiotic
resistance by enabling those who can fix it with the necessary means. By taking a more
active role in our own healthcare, we can decrease the amount of prescriptions that doctors
write for antibiotics. Rather than always looking to blame hospitals for secondary
infections by drug resistant pathogens, we should instead focus on what’s causing the
problem, and how to fix it. Finally, by encouraging our government to support
pharmaceutical companies that research and produce new antibiotics to replace obsolete
ones, we can actively compete with the increased emergence of drug antibiotic resistant
microbes. It is as simple as standing up to a misinformed swim coach. If we begin at a
personal level, our combined efforts can and will make a difference in a global problem.