The (real) reason I won't always give you antibiotics

Think a prescription is the holy grail to getting better again? In many cases, taking pills you don't need could do you more harm than good

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As a GP, I'm sadly no stranger to not meeting patients' expectations within the NHS, even more so of late, but one debate that remains consistent with patients is the request for antibiotics.

Why won't your GP just give you a prescription for them? Like many doctors, I see a multitude of illnesses caused by infections, but antibiotics work by killing and preventing the spread of bacteria only. A large majority of what we see are the result of a pesky virus, including the common cold, flu and the majority of coughs, sore throats and ear infections.