Theory 04/Speed vs Accuracy/Antibiotics
Fast Kill Selects Resistance
The claim
Antibiotic regimens that kill quickly trade against resistance emergence, because rapid killing leaves a larger window in which surviving cells face strong selection.
01Mechanism
Fast killing clears susceptible cells and leaves resistant persisters with less competition; slower killing maintains competition that suppresses the resistant minority.
02Prediction
Faster killing should select resistance more strongly at equal clearance.
03Refutation
Resistance independent of killing rate would remove the trade-off.