by Paul Henshaw

Created on: June 14, 2008

In a modern world it would be hard to see life without some kind of daily ritual of putting man-made drugs into our bodies. With our need to remain healthy we have become susceptible to taking vitamins and eating so called healthy foods or making a vitamin enriched smoothie and enforcing the rule that our kids must eat all their greens.
When we do get ill we pop off to the local pharmacy and make our selection from the array of different concoctions to fight off infections, rashes and other nice little symptoms that make us feel like we have the modern version of leprosy.

Next stop could be the Doctors when we feel we need a drug with a bit more kick to eradicate whatever bacterial or fungal type infection we think we have contracted. It is this so-called over prescribing of drugs that have given to the rise in the fear of so called superbugs.
Even though the advancement of science in producing powerful antibiotics has helped to speed up the body's ability to fight off infections it is not the only reason for the creation of more resilient strains of bacteria. Better drugs have only helped to speed up the ability of the body's immune system to fight off infection. It is natural evolution for bacteria to mutate; it is what they are designed to do.
Just like the common cold which is always changing and mutating into different strains making it difficult for the immune system to fight, bacteria will change even if we don't use drugs to help fight them off.
With the bacteria's ability to change we will never be able to completely wipe them all out so we will have to rely on our bodies ability to adapt to changes even if the drugs no longer have effect. Nature is a powerful adversary and it will always win in the end, drugs merely delay the inevitable and we will once again have to rely on our natural immune system.
As harsh as it is, survival of the fittest will be the key and no matter what nature will work to keep a natural balance no matter what we try to do to interfere. Just like paying taxes we will have to accept that bacteria is here to stay and it will adapt to keep one step ahead even if we stop producing and taking man-made drugs.
In summary I feel that using drugs does not lead to growth of super bacteria, but it may just speed up the process. It's a battle we will never win but we do need to keep fighting to protect our most vulnerable members of society, it is our moral duty.

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