‘Must I take all my antibiotics?’ Why infectious disease experts are rethinking this longstanding rule

For some illnesses, shorter courses of antibiotics work just as well as longer ones, but researchers are still working out the ideal timescales for many infections – and it may not line up with when you feel better.

By: Amy J. Mathers, University of Virginia, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 28, 2026

Words: 1,403

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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By Amy J. Mathers, University of Virginia

You’ve probably heard it for years, every time you get a prescription for antibiotics: “Make sure to take all the pills.”

Traditionally, clinicians have given two reasons for these strict instructions: So the infection doesn’t come back, and so you don’t end up with bugs so hearty that antibiotics can’t kill them.

But these days, clinicians like me are starting to rethink this approach.

As a …

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