# Patients admit lying to get antibiotics – and most say it worked

Source: [Earth.com](https://www.earth.com/science/patients-admit-lying-to-get-antibiotics-and-most-say-it-worked/) · 2026-11-10 · Earth & Climate
Page: https://themorning.science/story/patients-admit-lying-to-get-antibiotics-and-most-say-it-worked-dda7ab7db84bfead
Kind: research · Impact: medium

## In brief

- A new survey of American adults found that more than a quarter admitted going further than the truth to get antibiotics from a clinic.
- Respondents said they exaggerated how severe their symptoms were or said their symptoms had lasted longer than they had, and most said the approach worked.

## Why it matters

Antibiotic prescriptions often depend on patients' reported symptoms, so exaggeration can lead to unnecessary prescribing, which contributes to antibiotic resistance.

## Coverage

- [Patients admit lying to get antibiotics – and most say it worked](https://www.earth.com/science/patients-admit-lying-to-get-antibiotics-and-most-say-it-worked/) — Earth.com, 2026-11-10

Tags: antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance, patient behavior, survey, healthcare

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science