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Patients are bending the truth at the doctor's office to score antibiotic prescriptions. Two new surveys published in JAMA Network Open found that ~28% of adults and ~27% of caregivers have misrepresented symptoms — by exaggerating or outright fabricating them — to obtain antibiotics. The behavior poses a serious challenge to antibiotic stewardship and patient-clinician trust.
Two surveys published in JAMA Network Open reveal a troubling pattern: roughly 1 in 4 Americans have misrepresented their symptoms to a clinician in order to obtain antibiotics. That includes both adults seeking prescriptions for themselves and caregivers trying to get antibiotics for their children. The misrepresentation ranged from exaggerating existing symptoms to outright fabricating ones that didn't exist.
The most commonly faked or inflated symptoms were cold-like in nature — conditions that rarely, if ever, warrant antibiotics. Patients cited feeling very sick, believing antibiotics were their only option, and wanting to return to work faster as top reasons for the deception. Alarmingly, the majority of those who misrepresented symptoms succeeded in getting a prescription.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: This isn't just a trust issue — it's a public health one. Inappropriate antibiotic use fuels antimicrobial resistance, a growing global threat. Experts say clinicians must resist prescribing pressure and focus on making patients feel heard, while health communicators need to better convey the real risks of unnecessary antibiotic use.
