I went abroad and studied antimicrobial resistance briefly, while doing a master in cellular biology. I did hands-on virulence research in safety labs, and a lot of theory.
Bacteria are simple. That’s why we have already exhausted all major pathways for drug mechanisms.
At that time, multiresistant bacteria were already everywhere. Resistant pathogens were found deep in the Amazon, and in Antarctica
Resistance will only increase. It will be bad. Could be real bad. Back to times hospital care can’t cure anything, only nudge your odds. And surgery might get tricky.
My dad’s grandpa coughed himself to death, at home, resting alone in a shed next to the house. This due to a bug that today is cured within days, without hospital care. Our children may suffer the same fate.
What did we learn? We have almost all of human history to look back at, but we don’t care.
But we are at least slowing down the overuse right? Not really. Overuse is rampant. Many countries, even western ones (US *cough*), happily throw drugs into healthy animals on an industrial scale.
In parts of LATAM, even the synthetic HC stuff is as readily available as painkillers. No need to think of doctor. No need for doctor to think.
But we are increasing research budgets right? Nah.
But some states are planning ahead? Sadly, no. We can’t do much until the overuse stops. Some countries have cynically said they will wait until many more people start dying, before they take any action. Too much effort.
And like nuclear waste, it will take a loong time to reduce the resistant strains. Given that we actually try.
Another contemporary example: ANTIBIOTICS.
I went abroad and studied antimicrobial resistance briefly, while doing a master in cellular biology. I did hands-on virulence research in safety labs, and a lot of theory.
Bacteria are simple. That’s why we have already exhausted all major pathways for drug mechanisms.
At that time, multiresistant bacteria were already everywhere. Resistant pathogens were found deep in the Amazon, and in Antarctica
Resistance will only increase. It will be bad. Could be real bad. Back to times hospital care can’t cure anything, only nudge your odds. And surgery might get tricky.
My dad’s grandpa coughed himself to death, at home, resting alone in a shed next to the house. This due to a bug that today is cured within days, without hospital care. Our children may suffer the same fate.
What did we learn? We have almost all of human history to look back at, but we don’t care.
But we are at least slowing down the overuse right? Not really. Overuse is rampant. Many countries, even western ones (US *cough*), happily throw drugs into healthy animals on an industrial scale.
In parts of LATAM, even the synthetic HC stuff is as readily available as painkillers. No need to think of doctor. No need for doctor to think.
But we are increasing research budgets right? Nah.
But some states are planning ahead? Sadly, no. We can’t do much until the overuse stops. Some countries have cynically said they will wait until many more people start dying, before they take any action. Too much effort.
And like nuclear waste, it will take a loong time to reduce the resistant strains. Given that we actually try.