Thomas Lindsey
Comm 301: MWF 9:00 a.m.
12/4/03
Prof. Harris-Jenkinson
Speech Title: Is the Medicine Making the Malady Worse?
The Effects of Improper Antibiotic Use
Persuasive Speech: Antibiotic Resistance
Purpose: To persuade the audience to help prevent antibiotic resistance
Introduction
A. Attention Getter: Two children lie dying in an El Paso, Texas hospital, seeking
treatment for a previously diagnosed bronchitis. Doctors discover that the organisms
raging warfare against their bodies are resistant to the antibiotics they are taking.
Only the most powerful antibiotics available will cure these children, and it will take
months to completely kill the infectious agents—all because the children took
antibiotics in the past—and probably for something that couldn’t even be cured by
antibiotics.
B. Establish Significance: Researchers at Canadian Committee on Antibiotic Resistance
say that super-bacteria, like the bronchitis these children have, are also resistant to
90% of the antibiotics on the market (October 2003).
C. Relate to Audience: Many of us have taken antibiotics at the first sign of the
sniffles—some of use even demand our doctors prescribe them when we are sick,
rather than waiting to see if we can manage the illness another way.
D. Thesis Statement: If something is not done to stop antibiotic resistance, we will
create “super organisms” which we will be unable to kill by normal means. To
paraphrase an old cliché, the medicine we are taking is making the malady worse—
not better!
E. Preview Statement: In the process of better understanding the malady we are facing,
we must first diagnose the definition of antibiotic resistance. Then we can examine
the symptoms of the malady in detail as we focus on the problem. Finally, we can
look at some of the prescriptions that can treat the problem of antibiotic resistance.
(Transition: But, first, let’s look more closely at what antibiotic resistance actually is.)
Body
I.
What does it mean to say something is antibiotic resistant?
A. Work on bacteria, single-celled organisms don’t die with antibiotic
1. Very specific in how they kill
2. Don’t help viruses
B. Mutation (OVERHEAD)
1. Mutation is why bacteria become resistant
2. The Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison say that when drugs are
developed to fight bacteria, bacteria will mutate and gain resistance, the drugs are
modified and bacteria gain resistance again…a dangerous cycle (May 1997).
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(Transition: Now that we have an idea about what antibiotic resistance is; now let’s see why it’s
a problem.)
II. Causes
A. Overuse of antibiotics - A recent FDA article reports that the biggest cause of
antibiotic resistant organisms is the overuse of antibiotics (September 2003).
1. Example, only 15% of sore throats are found to be bacterial
2. Remember, viruses (like colds and flu’s) don’t respond to antibiotics
3. However, for 85% of sore throats seen in the hospitals, the patients are given
antibiotics—often because the patients demand it
4. David Bell, M.D., the CDC's antimicrobial resistance coordinator explains,
"Every year, tens of millions of prescriptions for antibiotics are written to treat
viral illnesses for which these antibiotics offer no benefits" (September 2003)
B. Improper use of antibiotics - In 2000, the National Institutes of Health reported that
improper use of antibiotics by patients was exacerbating problem of antibiotic
resistance (June 2000).
1.
2.
3.
4.
Not finishing the entire amount prescribed
Keeping unfinished bottles for later use
Using other people’s antibiotics
Taking antibiotics for viral infections such as flu, sore throat, etc.
C. Escalating use of antimicrobial soaps, detergents, and lotions
1. In late 2002, Stuart Levy, M.D., president of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of
Antibiotics stated, “There has never been evidence that [these products] have a
public health benefit” (November 2003).
2. Yet, they have proven to illicit resistance in bacteria, making them that much
harder to kill.
D. (Impact) All this results in significantly reducing the effectiveness of current
antibiotics, and increasing the number of monster bacteria.
(Internal Summary: As you can see, the improper distribution and use of antibiotics, as well as
overuse of antimicrobial agents, can be quite detrimental—actually creating superbacteria that
won’t respond to most antibiotics on the market.)
(Transition: So what can we do about it? What are the treatments for antibiotic resistance?
III. Many ways we can prevent the creation of antibiotic resistant bacteria
A. The Washington State Department of Health suggests we take responsibility for our
own health by talking to our doctors about antibiotic resistance and ensuring that the
illness really warrants the use of antibiotics (October 2003).
1. If the illness is viral, there are several medicines to help with the symptoms
2. Using medicines to treat fever, congestion, cough, and pain
3. Don’t demand antibiotics from your doctor
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B. Use antibiotics properly - Janice Soreth, M.D., director of the FDA's Division of
Anti-Infective Drug Products gives us tips on how to properly use antibiotics:
1. Never take antibiotics for a viral infection such as a cold, the flu, or even most
middle ear infections (check with your doctor)
2. Always finish your medicines when you do get antibiotics
3. Never take someone else’s antibiotics or use old antibiotics
C. When it comes to antimicrobial cleansers…
1. Just don’t use them, not proven to be effective
2. Soap and water will work just fine
(Internal Summary: So talk to your physician about antibiotics, take your medicine when and
where it is appropriate, and stay away from those antimicrobial soaps and we can all help prevent
the spread of antibiotic resistance)
Summary: Now we know what antibiotic resistance is, we can also see how big of a malady it is.
Fortunately, we’ve also armed ourselves with a number of possible solutions to help prevent the
spread of antibiotic resistance.
Conclusion: I implore you to take action against this frightening and potentially devastating
problem. We cannot rely on researchers to continue the creation of new miracle drugs to fight off
super-bugs. We need to take the initiative and do what WE can to fight antibiotic resistance.
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Works Consulted
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