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From: werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: Re: Where are drugs (antibiotics) legal?
Message-ID: <2292@aecom.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 2-Mar-86 14:57:45 EST
Article-I.D.: aecom.2292
Posted: Sun Mar  2 14:57:45 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 4-Mar-86 03:11:31 EST
References: <156@proper.UUCP> <12057@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <915@felix.UUCP> <22@spdcc.UUCP>
Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY
Lines: 21


	Certain antibiotics (like PenicillinV, which is orally active) are
available over the counter in Europe, where it is frequently misused, and
where the incidence of Penicillin-resistant strains of common pathogens
is much higher than in the United States.
	Of course in the US, the most common use of antibiotics is to add it
to cattle feed, and several epidemics of meat contaminated with resistant
Salmonella have recently been described.  Many doctors wish that this use too,
would be curtailed.

	Steve Dyer was right on the mark when he described the various
pitfalls of making antibiotics freely available.  They are only useful in
treating diseases caused by sensitive bacterial organisms - no more.
Most sore throats are caused by viruses - and antibiotics are worse than
useless in these cases.
	
-- 

				Craig Werner
				!philabs!aecom!werner
I'll also entertain gifts,knick-knacks,offers of money, & proposals of marriage