Longer antibiotic courses don’t always mean better outcomes.
Experts now say:
Shorter antibiotic courses are often just as effective
Extra days = more resistance
No strong evidence supports the “complete the full course” rule
“Shorter is better” — for your health and global resistance.
Have you ever questioned the duration of antibiotics prescribed to you or your patients?
No, not questioned yet but this makes sense . Antibiotics are prescribed according to the type of bacteria present it differs from each other. Longer duration of antibiotics may cause anti microbial resistance.so it is better to prescribe or take them for shorter duration.
I get the concern about overusing antibiotics, and I agree that blindly taking them for longer than needed can do more harm than good. But at the same time, I feel antibiotics should be given enough time to actually work. It’s not just about shorter or longer, it’s about the right amount of time based on the infection and how someone responds. Stopping too early might risk the infection coming back. So yeah, let’s move away from the “complete the full course no matter what” mindset, but not forget that the right balance is what truly matters.