ANTIBIOTICS ARE DEAD IN THE WATER.

Many years ago, antibiotics were hailed as a new wonder drug that would banish many diseases for ever. The discovery of penicillin followed by the development of many other drugs with similar bactericidal properties seemed like a gift from heaven. No more.

Decades of overprescribing and wrong prescribing, and the wholesale use of antibiotics in animal husbandry has led to the appearance of multitudes of 'superbugs' which are immune to even the most powerful modern antibiotics. Once again, people find themselves at  the mercy of potentially lethal bacterial infections and today's news carries a story that members of the United Nations are to sign a 'landmark declaration' to rid the world of drug-resistant infections. What poppycock.

There is a long history of scientific 'experts' making serious errors when it comes to the use of drugs, antibiotics being but one example. A lack of adequate research and trialling prior to the release and use of expensively developed medications has previously seen many people suffering debilitating and even fatal consequences from the effects of prescribed steroids, another 'wonder drug', and many victims of thalidomide are still around today. Valium, otherwise known as Diazepam, and Librium were considered 'wonder drugs' for treating depression until their side effects were discovered and now their use is greatly reduced; at one time, cigarette smoking was promoted as being beneficial to health. Scientists and doctors are not infallible, they only think they are and they are too often 'in hock' to vast commercial enterprises which are interested in little more than 'turning a quick buck'.

Now, the very same people who have been responsible for shocking negligence over the use of antibiotics are to be tasked with saving us. Some hope. The damage is already done and unless an entirely new class of drugs , or some other course of action, can be developed, we are likely to see increasing numbers of people dying from infections which have been largely inconsequential in recent years. Indeed, we already have potential new disasters waiting in the wings, with 'statins' being promoted for general use, a plethora of additives in our food and a vast array of 'health supplements' being sold over the counter everywhere. What the long term effects of these might be, no one really knows or, if they do, they're keeping very quiet about it.

The real problems arise from the arrogance of some scientists and the over-riding interests of large pharmaceutical companies and governments. Frankly, the United Nations can make whatever declarations it likes but nothing of substance will happen until there is some genuine oversight of, and research into, the long term effects of the many drugs and other preparations with which we are confronted on an almost daily basis.