Penicillin (Antibiotics-related controversy)
Agriculture
Penicillin used as a feed
additive for livestock
Has been effective in improving
the rate of efficiency and gain of
swine and poultry
Dieticians
Negative POV because penicillin can
enter people's diets through meats like
chicken, turkey, and pork, as they get
injected with it
If people are repeatedly
exposed to meat with
penicillin it, they will build
antibacterial resistances
Penicillin will be rendered
useless when they actually
need it
When people excrete the food,
penicillin may enter the environment
Government
Support production and research
of penicillin strains because of
their potential to save and
improve lives
Consumers
Average Person
When uneducated,
they can misuse it
to treat viral infections
OR overuse it
They may develop
an aversion to
penicillin/antibiotics
When used properly,
it is very useful; cures
bacterial infections
Usually this is the case;
they realize and support
the immense benefits
of penicillin/antibiotics
Young Children
Penicillin has been
shown to have adverse
long-term effects; has
been linked to allergies,
neurocognitive impairment,
and obesiity
Pharmaceutical Companies
Many strains are used globally;
its use en masse provides
lots of revenue for pharmaceutical
companies
They are in favour of its
production
Doctors
Have to prescribe it
carefully to avoid
misuse and overuse
Therefore they support
its use and production,
but only if done responsibly
Believe it is useful;
can cure bacterial
infections (pneumonia,
scarlet fever, etc.)
Environment
Has negative effects
on the environment
as a result of the
following chain of events:
Consumers excrete penicillin
Excretion enters wastewaters
As a result of insufficient
wastewater treatment
facilities, the penicillin
enters the environment
The penicillin kills bacteria
that could be important
to the environment it
entered
Scientists
Find penicillin useful
They are using the fungi that
penicillin is comprised of,
penicillium, to try and create
new antibiotics that deal
with the resistances built up
against current versions of
penicillin and other antibiotics
Penicillin has proven to
be effective in individuals
who have not built up
an antibiotic resistance
