We are rapidly approaching a time when no antibiotics will work. It takes a decade to develop a new antibiotic and we may run out of effective ones before then.
We should give a 10 year patent extension (worth billions) to any company that creates an effective medication for antibiotic resistance, and we should take multiple approaches to prevent a future recurrence of the problem, such as:
1. Phage therapies and other gene therapies to combat bacteria and reprogram it.
2. Genetically engineered probiotics for use in surgery. Wounds would be flushed with a solution containing a beneficial bacteria. The probiotic then destroys negative bacteria and assists the patients own immune system. As harmful organisms evolve, beneficial bacteria are counter farmed.