Summary: Antibiotic resistance begins with the selective amplification of a small number of resistant mutants following administration of agents that permit mutants, but not wild-type (susceptible) cells, to reproduce. In some cases, antibiotics also stimulate the creation of mutants. Several types of action are expected to slow these processes. One is to reduce antibiotic consumption by 1) encouraging consumers and medical personnel to use antibiotics only when they are highly likely to be effective and 2) reducing agricultural use of antibiotics. Another is to improve waste disposal to halt environmental contamination and creation of resistance genes among environmental microbes. A third action is to make dosing regimens more stringent so that m....