Right thing for who? The Republican establishment so it can put up the candidate it wants?
He shouldn't even think about stepping down unless he knows someone as conservative as he is will be taking his place.
Both Brunner and Steelman ran very close and had conservative supporters. Combine that with the documented evidence that Claire McCaskill wanted Akin and invested in the primary to put him over the top, and I think there is a pretty convincing case that dropping out is the right thing for Akin to do at this point.
He brought this on himself. Completely self-inflicted.