Chief Medical Officer Warns Lack of Antibiotics Could Make Your Next Surgery Fatal

When you cut yourself deeply, it's common to receive antibiotics to prevent infection. But what if those antibiotics didn't work?  England's Chief Medical Officer, Prof Dame Sally Davies, is warning that bacteria are increasingly becoming resistant to our antibiotics. Unfortunately, there are no new antibiotics in the pipeline.  According to Davies, if you cut yourself or go into the hospital for routine surgery, you could run a very high risk of dying from infection. 

How Consumers May Be At Risk 

How could this be?  According to Davies, bacteria adapts and changes quickly in an effort to thrive.  She cited growing reports of antibiotic resistant E. coli, gonorrhea, and even tuberculosis.  These previously treatable bacteria infections could be deadly to our population.  Absent antibiotics to kill them, we could all be at risk for death. 

The World Health Organization warns that there are no new antibiotics and claims we are breeding resistant strains of bacteria into existence because of their drug resistance. The organization warns that "many common infections will no longer have a cure, and once again, kill unabated." 


To Prevent Infections

There is no foolproof way to prevent infection unless you're living in a sterile bubble.  Absent that bubble, the world is full of organisms that could infect you if you get a cut or have surgery. But with proper precautions, you can minimize your risk in the following ways:

• frequent hand washing
• proper nutrition
• exercise
• cooking foods well
• using condoms 
• not using illicit drugs
• do not take antibiotics for longer than prescribed

If you develop an infection, seek medical treatment to prevent further injury.  If your infection was the result of an accident due to someone else's negligence or carelessness, you may also want to contact an attorney.