Docile antibiotics can no longer cope with galloping germs.

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Antibiotics, the wonder drugs which have been saving lives since their discovery a few decades ago, are losing their edge as germs become resistant to them. In the rat race between germs and drugs, germs are outpacing medicines. While existing antibiotics are losing their efficacy at an alarming pace, the development of new antibiotics is declining, which is a cause of great concern to the medical professionals. So, to tackle this alarming situation, the medical professionals should chalk out a rational antibiotic policy. They should be cautious while prescribing antibiotics for their patients. Sometimes patients demand antibiotics for a quick recovery even when they do not really need them and the doctors who handle these patients comply with them without thinking of the consequences. The doctors also have the unnecessary habit of prescribing antibiotics for their patients when there is no justified indication for any antibiotic therapy. Moreover, availability of over-the-counter drugs without any valid prescription has aggravated the situation by allowing indiscriminate use of antibiotics. Another important factor to be mentioned here is that antibiotics drugs are also fed to livestock, thus helping them enter the food chain through animal products as well as the environment through their excreta which in turn is inducing drug resistance in people who are consuming these food articles due to constant exposure to sub therapeutic doses of antibiotics. Thus what is clear is that unless steps are taken immediately to deal with this grave danger, people will lose their battle with germs. Many infectious diseases which had earlier been subdued may reemerge with more virulence. Or drugs that tackle ailments will no longer be able to do so and mankind will be left to the mercy of God.