I'll pay for it

Clearly the government needs to fund research into antibiotics. Companies won’t do it because the use of antibiotics is designed to be restricted. ''If you're going to restrict the use of the drug, how can the company achieve a successful return on investment?" said Alan Goldhammer, associate vice president for regulatory affairs for PhRMA, the leading pharmaceutical industry trade group. It’s just like flu shots—apparently companies aren’t making enough of those either; it must not be profitable enough. But we still need them—and the market won’t respond to the demand. Hence, the government must fund the research and development through subsidies to companies that do engage in that research.