The amount of perceived risk seems to be related to whether you are the patient or not. If indeed we get to the point that the FDA will allow phages and they can be designed specifically, then that might be alternative. However, this is a tall order. How many narrow spectrum antibiotics are available? And will doctors faced with sick patients be able to find out exactly which infectious agent is causing the symptoms? These days in the U.S., patients are seen less than 15 minutes. How many tests will be ordered to pinpoint the culprit so a narrow spectrum antibiotic could be used? Will these also end up being resistant?

I think this article points out problems that we know are serious, but the solutions are not ready yet. In countries where people are able to get antibiotics over the counter and don't really know what infection they have, this is where resistance blossoms, and it does not stay in those countries.

It is hard to envision refusing antibiotics to sick people when the majority of these medicines are used in agriculture.