GoKawiilStudy: Over 25% of patients exaggerate symptoms to obtain antibiotics
Two linked studies in JAMA Network Open, led by Alistair Thorpe at the University of Utah, surveyed over 1,000 US adults and found more than a quarter admitted lying to clinicians to get antibiotics for themselves or a child. Most fabricated or exaggerated cold-like symptoms such as fever, cough, and sore throat—conditions caused by viruses that antibiotics don't treat. The tactic worked often: 77% of adult patients and 87% of caregivers said their deception resulted in a prescription.