Go back
antibiotics resistance v threat of terrorism

antibiotics resistance v threat of terrorism

Debates

Vote Up
Vote Down

"The danger posed by growing resistance to antibiotics should be ranked along with terrorism on a list of threats to the nation, the government's chief medical officer for England has said."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21737844

"Antibiotics kill bacteria, but the bugs are incredibly wily foes. Once you start treating them with a new drug, they find ways of surviving. New drugs are needed, which they then find ways to survive. As long as new drugs keep coming, resistance is not a problem. But there has not been a new class of antibiotics discovered since the 1980s."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21702647

Your thoughts on this?

Vote Up
Vote Down

Antibiotics are seriously over used and we need to get doctors to prescribe them less, get self medicators to use them less, and generally educate people and change the culture of excessive cleanliness.
Excessive cleanliness is bad for you.

Vote Up
Vote Down

On the list of "threats to the nation" of any western nation, "terrorism" probably doesn't make it to the top 100.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
On the list of "threats to the nation" of any western nation, "terrorism" probably doesn't make it to the top 100.
I agree.
Lots more people die of antibiotic resistant TB, than they do from terrorism.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by FMF
"The danger posed by growing resistance to antibiotics should be ranked along with terrorism on a list of threats to the nation, the government's chief medical officer for England has said."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21737844

"Antibiotics kill bacteria, but the bugs are incredibly wily foes. Once you start treating them with a new drug, they find wa ...[text shortened]... ed since the 1980s."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21702647

Your thoughts on this?
It is a self-correcting disequilibrium, although the correction may favor other forms of life than ours, for a while.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
On the list of "threats to the nation" of any western nation, "terrorism" probably doesn't make it to the top 100.
Kazet you really are smart.

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

It said on the news, no new antibiotics have been released in 25 years! so no wonder there's a problem ... Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a scary oone ... flesh eating no less!

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
On the list of "threats to the nation" of any western nation, "terrorism" probably doesn't make it to the top 100.
The direct loss of life due to terrorist acts, maybe, but terrorism has enabled governments to start several wars, limit freedom of speech, obtain far reaching powers to torture, spy, hold without warrant etc. Terrorism is a threat to democracy, but the danger comes from the governments, not the terrorists.
Terrorism is about causing fear. The idea is then to use that fear to your advantage. However if everyone knows you caused the fear, its not that easy to take advantage. If, however, you didn't cause it, you can take advantage.