Antibiotics: the epitome of a wonder drug
BMJ 2007; 334 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39021.640255.94 (Published 04 January 2007) Cite this as: BMJ 2007;334:s6
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Dear Sir, There are 4 periods in Indonesian history i.e. 1)Dutch
Colonization, (2)Japanese Occupation, (3)Physical Fighting for Freedom and
(4)Politically independent Era. Procentage of disease and death especially
caused by infection still high up till now. Mortality by bacterial
and virus infection could be shown in maternity wards, children sections
and even to pilgrimate of Haj in Makkah. At all this 4 eras the
difference is not so sophisticated except to those with high salaried
people who could buy the proper antibiotics.
It is a sad story that our country might be the last place to have a
good and the newly discovered antibiotics due to "drug manufactureing
policy" or "over priced" medicines. We have a generic medicines but they
failed to act as "the speedy" action of the "patent medicines". Sometimes
they think only "pharmacodynamic" and forgeting the value of testing
"pharmacokinetic" which influenced by a secretive vehiculum.
I concluded my statement that I seconded "the antibiotics" as "a
most important advance milestone"
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Dear Sir,
I am able to respond to this survey only because of penicillin, which
saved my life at age 11 when I contracted bacterial meningitis. At the
time, penicillin was the only known cure, and the swift administration of
the drug, even though the physicians had not yet diagnosed my illness,
prevented me from having physical or mental disorders associated with the
disease. I have lived 56 years longer than was expected that day I became
ill. Penicillin and antiobiotics in general have saved so many lives that
I think overall, mankind has benefitted from it beyond any other
contribution up to this point.
Thank you for providing this interesting survey.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
Give credit where credit is due
The scientific discovery underlying the development of antibiotics
was made by Rene Dubos who recognised that microbes compete in
environments like soil by making compounds that suppress the growth of
other microbes. He also discovered the first antibiotics: Tyrocidine and
gramicidin which are the constituents of tyrothricin, which he originally
isolated in 1939. Bacterial antibiotics however turned out to be toxic to
mammals and these early examples could not be given systemically. The
observation that antibiotics made by fungi and streptomyces are generally
not toxic was fortuitous - though practicaly very important.
If any one person deserves the credit for antibiotics it is surely
Rene Dubos
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests