I.

The Control of anti-bacterial products

Due to over-use anti-bacterial products, the likelihood of an extremely resistant superbug is imminent with humans having little to no defense system.

II.

What is an Anti-biotic and how are they helpful?

A.

Antibiotics are everywhere, and so are bacteria.

1.
Weaker antibiotic or antibacterial products are available
commercially that kill bacteria
2.

Strong antibiotics are available as prescription products

a)
Try to find a statistic with How many illnesses are treated with
antibotics.

B.
There are several forms of Antibiotics, but they kill both helpful and harmful
bacteria
1.

Probiotics are bacterial that can help us.

2.

Antibiotics will eliminate probiotics.

3.
This allows for opportunistic infection, because the probiotic defense
has been lowered.
C.

What is a Superbug, and why are they scary?

D.

Mutation of Bacteria
1.

Bacteria can mutate or change over time

2.
These mutations can cause a bacterium to become resistant to
antibiotics.
3.
The more antibiotics a bacterium is resistant to, the more difficult it
can be to treat.
4.
Mutation of a bacterium can be amplified by using antibiotics wrong
or too often.
5.
If a bacterium becomes resistant to most or all forms of treatment, it
is said to be a superbug.
E.

A Superbug is a bacterial that is resistant to most or all forms of treatment.

1.
We treat bacterial infections in humans with antibiotics. Antibiotics
work by destroying or inhibiting the things that bacteria have, that humans
do not.
2.

Examples of Superbugs in the past.

a)

MRSA

b)

Klebsiella Pneumonia

F.
Infection with a superbug is hard to treat, and therefore can prolong hospital
stay, and/or increase the possibility of death
1.
Giske and his colleagues found that infection with a resistant strain
of Pseudomonas increased, twofold to fivefold, a patients risk of dying, and
increased about twofold the patients hospital stay
2.
This can be especially dangerous for those with pre-existing health
conditions that would make treatment even more difficult.
3.
The resistance rates we saw in the 90s were at 10 to 15 percent. Now
its up to 60 percent in hospitals, said Steve Gilman, chief scientific officer
for Cubist Pharmaceuticals.
III.

Identifying the problems

A.

Lack of control/regulation
1.

Lack of control leads to overuse of antibacterial products.

2.

Overuse can cause faster and more frequent mutation in bacterium

3.

It can also cause a weaker immune system within a human.

4.
Good Example: We dont have good data for how antibiotics are
used in animals, Gandra said. The U.S. Government Accountability Office
(GAO) agrees, stating that federal agencies dont collect critical data
regarding antibiotic use in agriculture, and little progress is being made on
the issue. -http://www.healthline.com/health/antibiotics/why-pipelinerunning-dry
B.

Misuse of antibiotic products

1.
Antibiotics are often prescribed as a result of a misdiagnosis, and
therefore are attacking the wrong type of bacteria, and are doing only harm
2.
Most people stop taking the antibiotics once they feel good, and do not
finish the course of the medication leading to stronger bacterium, and a
remaining infection.

C.

Lack of new antibiotics being developed

1.
Medical research or pharmacy companies do not research antibiotics
as often because it simply isnt lucrative to do.
2.
Companies that do research are limited in funding, as they are
typically funded by the government, not by large companies.
IV.

Suggested Solutions (What we need to do)

A.

More control
1.
There must be more control for antibiotics used commercially in
products or agriculture

B.

2.

There must also be more control in the doctors office

3.

More control would help reduce misuse of antibiotics.

More Research
1.
There must be more government funding into research, as a large
scale breakout could be a huge threat to our country.
2.
Companies should begin to invest in research now before we become
resistant to their existing line of products.
3.
More Research would help spur scientific discovery and could lead to
more effective use of antibiotics.

V.

Counter to suggested solutions:

A.

More control leads to less freedom

1.
Individuals have the right to protect themselves from bacteria as they
see fit, and limiting a persons access to these products could be seen as
infringing upon these rights
2.
Limiting the ways a doctor may prescribe antibiotics might lead to
diminishment of doctoral discretion, longer wait times depending on the way
access is limited, as well as decreased revenue for pharmacy companies due
to less prescription.

B.

More Research

1.
Plenty of research is already being done. There are already several
drugs in the pipeline to be approved by the FDA.
2.
There is research being done into antibiotics, just not directly. Most
funding is given to the Department of Defense as to prevent the weponization
of superbugs, which could produce new research as to the workings of
bacterium and their evolution.
VI.

Conclusion
A.

General Summation

B.

Call to action: More control and more research