# 1 in 4 Americans make dangerous mistake that could help return to ‘dark ages of medicine’

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/1-in-4-americans-make-dangerous-mistake-that-could-help-return-to-dark-ages-of-medicine/
- Published: 2026-11-04T14:31:23+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T09:43:10+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Post (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://nypost.com/2026/11/04/health/1-in-4-americans-make-dangerous-mistake-that-could-help-return-to-dark-ages-of-medicine/
- Topics: Americas, World

## Key points

- Nearly 30% of surveyed adults admitted misrepresenting symptoms to get antibiotics.
- Most reports involved cold symptoms such as coughs or sore throats.
- Researchers urge better communication to help curb antibiotic resistance.

## Summary

A survey study found that nearly 30% of 959 American adults had exaggerated or invented symptoms to obtain antibiotics. The behaviour matters because unnecessary antibiotic use can accelerate resistance, making bacterial infections harder to treat.

Most people misrepresented symptoms associated with colds, such as coughs or sore throats; some exaggerated how long they had been ill, while others claimed symptoms they did not have. Participants cited wanting relief, needing to return to work or other responsibilities, and wanting control over medical decisions. The researchers said patients should not be blamed, and called for better communication between clinicians and patients about when antibiotics can help.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.