The Social Contract, the Conservative Attitude, and Antibiotics Development

Abstract

The prevalence of antibiotic resistant microbes has led to a call for new antibiotics development. Due to the irresponsible practices of the medical community in prescribing antibiotics, much of the demand for new antibiotics is suspect. I argue that the social contract, which properly includes human relationships with laboratory animals, requires a conservative attitude toward new antibiotics development. This attitude places limits on the justificatory role of demand in determining whether a particular research project meets the conditions for morally justified research, as defined by Rollin’s utilitarian principle. Identifying the Scope of the Problem Antibiotic resistant microbes are a major public health concern, and medical practitioners are currently calling for newer and more potent antibiotics, despite the scientific challenges of developing these products and the low rate of return for pharmaceutical companies. Many factors lead to the existence of antibiotic resistant microbes, and there is significant empirical data suggesting that human prescribing practices are a major contributor to this phenomenon. Laboratory animals endure great suffering and death in order for antibiotic drugs to reach the market, and it seems that the pursuit of new pharmaceutical products without comparable or even greater emphasis on changing dysfunctional human activities is a violation of the social contract with animals. This