Antibiotics have revolutionized the practice of medicine. The magic bullets have been used to fight the bacteria that cause many of man's ill including veneral disease, tuberculosis, stomach uler, mastoiditis and other common infections. However, bacteria that once yielded so quickly to these wonder drugs have learned to resist the antibiotic onslaught. Today, infections that were once easily cured are not responding to the usual treatments. We have abused antibiotics to the point where we must now go back to the lab and begin research to develop a whole new generation of drugs. Also explores the use of antibiotics in agriculture and the possible side effects it has on new strains of resistant bacteria. Includes looking at some of the new uses that are being found for the most important weapon ever developed for medicine arsenal.

Panorama has been given exclusive access to the largest ever study of so-called "miracle babies". Babies born at less than 26 weeks gestation, who owe their lives entirely to modern medicine. The findings of the study raise complex questions about the purpose of neonatal intensive care and the sanctity of life. Has the time come for doctors to stop their heroic attempts to save the smallest babies, in order to concentrate on those more likely to survive "intract:.