More Than 1 in 4 Americans Admit Lying to Doctors to Get Antibiotics, Study Finds

Have you ever exaggerated your symptoms when speaking to a doctor to make yourself sound sicker or to obtain a prescription for antibiotics? According to a nationwide survey conducted by researchers at the University of Utah and published in JAMA Network Open, more than a quarter of Americans have exaggerated or even fabricated symptoms to obtain antibiotics for themselves or their children.

The survey included nearly 1,000 participants from across the United States. Of those surveyed, 28% admitted to deliberately misrepresenting their symptoms to obtain antibiotics for themselves, while 27% said they had done so for a child in their care. Some exaggerated symptoms they were actually experiencing, while others reported symptoms they did not have at all.

The most common reason was feeling seriously ill, or believing that their child was seriously ill, combined with the conviction that antibiotics were the only treatment that would help.

"It's a difficult situation," explained Dr. Alistair Thorpe of the University of Utah, one of the study's authors. When patients are experiencing unpleasant symptoms, he noted, it can be difficult to hear a doctor recommend simply resting and waiting for the illness to pass.

Other respondents said they needed to recover quickly to return to work or school, or wanted greater control over their treatment decisions. The researchers also found that people whose medical concerns had previously been dismissed or minimized by a doctor were more likely to exaggerate their symptoms.

Why Unnecessary Antibiotic Use Is a Concern

The researchers emphasized that antibiotics are effective against bacterial infections but do not work against viruses, which cause most colds and cases of influenza. Like all medications, antibiotics can also cause side effects.

"These medications are not entirely harmless to patients," said Professor Andrea Levy, another author of the study. She warned that antibiotic use contributes to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a growing problem that affects public health as a whole.

According to Thorpe, receiving an unnecessary antibiotic prescription during a previous viral illness can create a powerful association between taking the medication and getting better. Because viral infections generally resolve on their own, patients may mistakenly credit antibiotics for a recovery that would have occurred without them.