133 million courses of antibiotics are prescribed to non-hospitalized patients over the course of a year; about fifty percent of them are useless. Antibiotics are considered a “wonder drug” because they turn once-deadly illnesses into inconveniences. However, the independent manner in which doctors prescribe antibiotics leads to long-term and short-term consequences that affect the entire human population. To correct these errors, doctors must understand that prescribing antibiotics without caution can create serious and widespread problems. If measures are not taken to prevent the increase in problems, these problems could lead to countless human losses. Antibiotics are expected to be prescribed less frequently by doctors due to reports of widespread overuse, weakening of patients' immune responses and adaptations of microbes. Doctors' lack of caution when prescribing antibiotics leads to countless cases of abuse. A third of all patients prescribed antibiotics use them recklessly and doctors' warnings are ignored. Not finishing your prescription, saving your remaining medications for the treatment of future illnesses or even sharing your antibiotics with a sick friend are among the multitude of cases of abuse. Often, because people are looking for an immediate cure for their minor cold, they ask for, and sometimes demand, antibiotics. Doctors therefore feel obliged to soothe their patients, but since viruses trigger colds, antibiotics have no effect. However, bacteria normally found in the body are affected, which can lead to dangerous imbalances. For example, a patient complains of a mild fever and cough and asks for antibiotics, which have no effect. His or h...... middle of paper ......s. Internet. December 19, 2011. “Antibiotics and the immune system.” The immune system. Internet. December 18, 2011. “CDC – About Antimicrobial Resistance.” » Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Internet. December 18, 2011. "CDC | TB | Fact Sheets | Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB)." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Internet. December 18, 2011. “Carnivore risk from MRSA superbug | Online mail”. Home | Online mail. Internet. December 18, 2011. Hedrick, Eddie. “Misuse of Antibiotics: Correct Use of Antibiotics.” Virtual healthcare team. “How antibiotics weaken the immune system. » Article database. December 23, 2007. Web. December 18, 2011. “MRSA: contagious, symptoms, causes, prevention, treatments. » WebMD - Better information. Better health. Internet. December 18, 2011. "PROBLEMS WITH ANTIBIOTICS (tuberculosis allergies, penicillin allergic bacteria) - Mombu the Medicine Forum." Mombu. Internet. December 19. 2011