A couple of times a year the local and national media shine a spotlight on the problems related to the excessive use of antibiotics. Some people consider these problems to be real and serious, while others think that the topics discussed are nothing more than “fashionable” new topics to talk about, distracting people from the “real” problems, such as rising gas prices or war expenses. Meanwhile, the excessive use of antibiotics continues to be a common practice among US doctors and agricultural businesses for the past 20 years. The practice of excessive use of antibiotics has put patients' health at risk, contributed to antibiotic resistance, and increased bacterial mutation to a new and stronger level; as well as hitting the economy with costly new spending on healthcare. It's time to stop overusing antibiotics. For some doctors it may be just another day in the office, but for many patients serious health problems could be a matter of life and death. The value of the right doctor's advice and the administration of the right medicine has always been fundamental. That's why ancient Greek physicians took the Hippocratic Oath before opening a private practice. All doctors in the United States still take the Hippocratic Oath. Simple as it is, this oath covers the most important promise, and mindset, that a new doctor should have: "I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and judgment and will never harm anyone." If most doctors prioritize the health needs of their patients and are concerned about “doing no harm,” why are there so many alarming cases where doctors prescribe very strong antibiotics to treat almost every health problem? It's definitely easier to prescribe a pill that takes care of all the bacteria, but won't that pill hurt?... middle of the paper... help and subsidize, if necessary, pharmaceutical companies promote the development of new antibiotics in order to keep up with bacteria that become resistant to old drugs. Although the history of antibiotic overuse began a long time ago, the time has come to break this harmful pattern and reduce health risks by using antibiotics appropriately in all areas of daily life. Works Cited Bussey, Eliza. The CDC warns about the overuse of antibiotics. Pediatric Specialists of Northeast Indiana. Network. 2 July 2011.Hippocrates. Hippocratic Oath. Wikipedia.com. Network. July 2, 2011.Sheppard, Jane. Consequences of excessive use of antibiotics. Healthy baby. Network. 2 July 2011 “Antibiotic”. Olemiss.edu. The University of Mississippi, np Web July 2, 2011. “The Basics: Antibiotic Resistance.” Keep Antibiotics Working, com. KeepAntibioticWorking, np Web. 5 July 2011.