Reply
Wed 12 Oct, 2011 01:19 am
Context:
The non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in animals continues to increase, despite recommendations from WHO15 and others to have this practice stopped, as has been done in the European Union. Faced with these daunting therapeutic challenges, physicians in some countries have had to resort to antibiotics with unfavourable toxicity profiles and imited pharmacodynamic guidance (eg, colistin) 16, as well as unconventional combinations of antibiotics that have not been investigated properly. Old ideas are being resurrected, such as the use of lytic bacteriophages, but with little evidence of clinical effectiveness. New approaches, such as defensins, targeted monoclonal antibodies, and agents designed to interrupt mechanisms of pathogenesis (eg, toll-like receptors, quorum sensing) have yet to fulfill their therapeutic potential.
Essentially, even as we are forced to revisit treatments that are more than 30 years old while waiting desperately for new research to bear fruit, we sense a pervasive belief in the scientific community that increasing resistance is the new norm. This is a misleading and costly attitude, both in human and economic terms.Some action has been taken in response to the mounting crisis. For example, the Infectious DiseasesSociety of America, 17 US Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC), 18 European commission, 19 EuropeanCentre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) 20, and other expert groups and non-governmental organisations have worked hard to raise awareness and provoke action by government and industry.
@oristarA,
Good Lord.
A seemingly simple question has made many tongue-tied.
Yes, in that piece, essentially means basically.
@oristarA,
I read it more as "at heart", "essential" meaning the critical aspects that cannot be ignored.
@engineer,
engineer wrote:
I read it more as "at heart", "essential" meaning the critical aspects that cannot be ignored.
That's what "basically" means too.
@contrex,
To me there is a subtle difference. I think of "basically" as a simplification of the main point instead of a statement of the critical principles that define it. I think they are probably interchangable in common usage.
@engineer,
engineer wrote:
To me there is a subtle difference. I think of "basically" as a simplification of the main point instead of a statement of the critical principles that define it. I think they are probably interchangable in common usage.
I know what you mean. However, as a native speaker I am aware of "basic" meaning "simplified", "suitable for a beginner", "without extra features", etc, whereas I am also aware of "basically" meaning "in essence".