JUDY WOODRUFF:

But, first, we are beginning a special series on the growing concerns around antibiotics, why there is more resistance to the drugs from so-called superbugs that can be dangerous and even fatal, and why it has been difficult to create a newer class of drugs to solve this problem.

It is a story that involves the worlds of science, medicine, business and economics.

So, we asked our science and economics correspondents, Miles O'Brien and Paul Solman, to team up. Their coverage will continue over the next couple of weeks.

We start with Miles' report.

It's part of our weekly series on the Leading Edge of science and technology.

Every Sunday night, I put up the pills for a week at a time.