2026/05/05 by M. Nichter · 1 voice
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Environmental Science · Immunology and Microbiology · #Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria #Antibiotic Use and Resistance #Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
paper · doi:10.1080/00187259.2026.2656635
openalex publication_date 2026/05/05 · openalex created_date 2026/05/06 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/14
In this article, I juxtapose the high demand for antibiotics in India, leading to overuse and rising concern that antibiotics compromise long-term health. This has fostered interest in harm reduction and a thriving market for wellness products. I first explore the motivations driving antibiotic popularity and overuse, emphasizing the importance of multiple stakeholders. I then highlight health concerns associated with synthetic chemicals used in agriculture and allopathic medicine; these are reflected in bionationalist discourse on pharmaceutical dependency. Given widely held cultural concerns about digestion, I explore the potential of promoting gut-supportive alternatives to antibiotics for self-limiting illnesses as a means to curb rampant antibiotic use. This offers a new approach to antibiotic stewardship, shifting focus from drug resistance to the collateral damage of antibiotics on gut health and the human microbiome. A (micro)ecological approach to antibiotic stewardship would be attractive to public health proponents of both One Health and Ayurvedic Biology.