DALLAS, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Tonight’s “Dan Rather
Reports” examines the alarming health consequences resulting from
the overuse of antibiotics. Every year, more than 90,000 Americans
die from “superbugs” that antibiotics cannot treat; these
antibiotic-resistant infections, caused directly by the overuse of
antibiotics in the U.S., cost us more than $35 billion a year.
 In tonight’s program, Dan Rather investigates the role that
doctors, patients, and American culture itself play in
precipitating this crisis.

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“Antibiotics are being grossly misused.  Antibiotic
resistance is mounting at a speed that we cannot control.  And
why?  ‘Cause we don’t have control over antibiotic use in the
country, in the world,” said Dr. Stuart Levy, a molecular biologist
at the Tufts University School of Medicine. “We don’t have
adherence to guidelines, which if we had, we could control
resistance.”

But, while resistance continues to threaten Americans’ lives,
one country has managed to remain a safe haven from “superbugs.”
 Norway, a global leader in prudent antibiotic use, is the
nation with the lowest rate of antibiotic resistant infections in
the world. “Dan Rather Reports” travels to Norway to find out how
this country has achieved what, for so many others, would be
considered a pipe dream.

“In Norway, drug prescription generally is very much seen a
societal issue,” said Gunnar Simonsen, the director of Norway’s
national action plan against bacterial resistance.

How can the U.S. mirror Norway’s efforts? Find out TONIGHT on
“Dan Rather Reports.”

“Dan Rather Reports: Addicted to Antibiotics” premieres on
HDNet, TONIGHT, Tuesday, January 11 at 8:00 p.m. ET with an encore
at 11:00 p.m. ET.

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