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Comment by ollybee | Hacker News Reader

From https://aphascience.blog.gov.uk/2016/11/18/colistin-an-antib...

"Colistin is considered a drug of last resort in human medicine" but also "It has been used in Europe for decades to treat intestinal infections in farm animals, although in the UK, it has only more recently been used to treat infections in animals"

The Guardian article paints a picture of developing countries irresposibly using colistin for animals, but I dont think that is the full story here.

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Good link, although the article claims colistin is being used as a growth promoter, ie fed to healthy animals, not to "to treat intestinal infections" as in Europe.

I don't think it really matters how it's being painted. If it's true/fact (and we are here discussing it), then it's a problem that needs solving, period. Let's not devolve this into "but you did it first so I can do it too" detractions that won't help prevent biological consequences for the rest of society.

I think it's also important to understand historical context. The "painting" make it seems like the "others" don't know what they're doing

If they understand what they're doing, why are they doing it then?

This is grossly irresponsible. People will die over it.

Indeed people will die over it. But you have to make a convincing argument about changing behaviour as opposed to playing a variant of white man's burden.

In Europe, it's used to treat sick large animals, which are very expensive to replace. (Cows cost over a thousand dollars) In India, it is fed to 100% of healthy chickens to make them grow faster, because their immune systems don't have to deal with bacteria anymore, and so more energy goes into growth. The number of reproducing bacteria being exposed to antibiotics, (and therefore with a chance to develop immunity) is orders of magnitude higher with what Indians are doing than with what Europeans are doing.

(meta) I suggest to deliver a counter-argument instead of downvoting and flagging an argument you don't like.

Is this comment directed at me? I did provide a counter argument, and I didn't downvote or flag anyone.

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