A study published in JAMA Network Open found that over 25% of US adults lie to clinicians to obtain unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions, often by fabricating or exaggerating cold symptoms—viral infections that antibiotics cannot treat. These deceptive tactics succeed at high rates, with 77% of adult patients and 87% of caregivers reporting they got the prescription they wanted.
Background
Antibiotic overprescription is a major driver of antimicrobial resistance, a growing global health crisis. Studies consistently show significant patient pressure on clinicians to prescribe antibiotics for viral infections.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Oct 31, 2026 at 04:17 AM
- Score
- 6.0 / 10