TBNTech
Over 25% of people lie to get antibiotics—and their lies aren't even good
Publication: Ars Technica - All content
Author: Beth Mole
Source published: 30/10/2026, 20:17:50 UTC
Briefing created: 09/11/2026, 03:44:28 UTC
Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 02/11/2026, 15:43:24 UTC.
Briefings
Two studies published in JAMA Network Open reveal that over 25% of US adults lie to doctors about antibiotic prescriptions, often exaggerating viral symptoms like colds to mask bacterial infections. Researchers led by Alistair Thorpe at the University of Utah analyzed over 1,000 online surveys, finding that while these lies are common, they frequently succeed because patients mistakenly believe antibiotics treat viral illnesses. The findings highlight a significant public health issue where misinformation persists despite medical evidence.
Key points
- Over 25% of US adults lie to doctors about antibiotic prescriptions, with over a quarter reporting at least one lie to obtain prescriptions for themselves or children.
- The most common lies involve exaggerating or fabricating viral symptoms like colds, fever, or sore throat to mask bacterial infections that antibiotics do not treat.
Context
Research from the University of Utah analyzed over 1,000 online surveys to identify antibiotic prescription fraud patterns in the US, revealing that patients often misidentify symptoms to secure prescriptions for conditions not suitable for antibiotic treatment.
Limitations
Data covers only US adults via online surveys; findings represent survey responses rather than verified clinical cases; no causal claims made about prescription outcomes.
Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 09/11/2026, 03:44:28 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.
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