Book Review|Before You Fill That Prescription, You May Want to Read These Books
By Abigail Zuger
NY Times, Oct. 29, 2019
When antibiotics first came to market barely 70 years ago, they were clear evidence of modern medicine’s
power. These days, they are equally potent evidence of its limitations. Experts warn that we’re entering a
“post-antibiotic era” full of microbes that eat our puny drugs for breakfast while fomenting new infections
that are as untreatable as infections were centuries ago.
power. These days, they are equally potent evidence of its limitations. Experts warn that we’re entering a
“post-antibiotic era” full of microbes that eat our puny drugs for breakfast while fomenting new infections
that are as untreatable as infections were centuries ago.
The story of antibiotic-resistant infections is nuanced and complicated — not necessarily the easiest or
happiest reading, but vitally important. All drugs are double-edged swords, after all; antibiotics happen
to be especially two-faced, with benefits and risks intertwined so closely that using them courts disasters
large and small — and so, of course, does not using them.
To help you understand this area, here’s a reality-based, up-to-date “bugs and drugs”
reading list.
happiest reading, but vitally important. All drugs are double-edged swords, after all; antibiotics happen
to be especially two-faced, with benefits and risks intertwined so closely that using them courts disasters
large and small — and so, of course, does not using them.
To help you understand this area, here’s a reality-based, up-to-date “bugs and drugs”
reading list.
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| Image from NY Times article |
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