Jesseract

We have a gigantic TV on in the office pretty much all the time, and while that can be handy sometimes, more often than not it’s distracting and annoying.

Sometimes you see something that makes you wish you were paying closer attention to the tv, however, and that happened to me just a few minutes ago. CNN had a segment about staying healthy while you travel, and I looked over just in time to see “Take antibiotics with you!” Because I couldn’t believe that any news organization, no matter how fluffy, would actually propose taking antibiotics with you “just in case,” I found the segment on CNN.com. The whole article was only marginally better, saying:

1. If you’re worried about the food or water, bring an antibiotic with you

Dr. Phyllis Kozarsky, an expert consultant in the division of global migration and quarantine at the Centers for Disease Control, recommends either azithromycin or a drug in the quinolone family, such as ciprofloxacin. You can get these only with a doctor’s prescription.

Because Cipro is harmless! From a LegalView press release:

Cipro, on the other hand, is an antibiotic that treats bacterial infections, similar to Ketek, but it has been linked to a very serious link of Achilles tendon rupture and tendonitis among patients. Cipro, which belongs to the fluoroquinolone drug family, recently had its labeling increased to a black-box warning along with the rest of the fluoroquinolone drugs. The black box labeling is the strongest label given by the FDA for a prescription drug and it often warns physicians about the serious Cipro risks associated with consuming the prescription antibiotic.

Cipro was, of course, the antibiotic pushed by the FDA after the anthrax attacks in 2001. Bayer held the patent until 2003, and there were serious issues with both the supply line and the cost of the drug. Even beyond the drug they’re choosing to recommend, is the fact that Americans are so inundated with antibiotics and antibacterials that we’re seeing a rise in diseases that aren’t affected by the drugs we have.

CNN offers a form for complaints related to its programming. I sent them a message, saying

During a show on safe traveling, your “expert” mentioned that you should take antibiotics with you, “just in case.” This is incredibly irresponsible, not only because there are different antibiotics for different health issues, but also because taking antibiotics you don’t need contributes to antibiotic-resistant killers like MDR Tuberculosis.

I know 24 hours is a long time to fill, CNN, but if you really want to be the “most trusted name in news” you have to give me legitimate information.