Antibiotic resistance genes are still frequently used as markers in genetically modified plants. The likelihood for horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes from plant DNA to bacteria to occur and the potential impact of such a putative transfer event is assessed in context with the existing problem of bacterial antibiotic resistance. To introduce the problem to the reader, prevalence and dissemination of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, and most important the selective forces are briefly addressed. If transfer of plant-derived DNA to bacteria were to occur, natural transformation is deemed the most likely mechanism by which transfer would occur. Given the fact that antibiotic resistance genes are already widespread in bacterial populations and of extremely low frequencies of a horizontal gene transfer event from transgenic plants to bacteria which has not yet been detected under field conditions, it is unlikely that antibiotic resistance genes in genetically modified plants will contribute significantly to the spread of antibiotic resistance in bacterial populations. The public debate about antibiotic resistance genes in transgenic plants should not diverge the attention from the real causes of resistance to antibiotics. The control of the antibiotic resistance problem lies in a reduction of the selective pressure by prudent use of antibiotics.