The episode took a turn, however, when they looked at Medieval versions of antibiotics -- a treatment for eye sties, I think they discussed -- they found the described treatment was wildly effective.<p>The researchers they interviewed postulate resistance wanes when a treatment leaves the population for a while.<p>The conclusion at the end was that it would be beneficial to have a big bevy of antibiotics and such, that we could rotate through as immunity came and went.<p>In this ^ way, it would seem these pharmas, and the pharma market, needs to adopt a second perspective on antibiotics. They should look at a new drug not for revenues over the next 6 quarters, but over the next 6 decades. In that time frame the drug would hit, be shelved, hit, and repeat.<p>Perhaps this would be one place that more permissive or advantageous patents would help, by encouraging growth in the antibiotic industry. That probably sounds unpopular given the general &quot;no patents!&quot; sentiment, but I there could be reason in it for at least some period of time.