Antibiotic Misuse: The Silent Crisis We’re All a Part Of
- Mehram Khaiser
- Oct 16
- 3 min read
Emma woke up with a sore throat and a mild fever.
A friend told her, “I have some antibiotics left from last time, take them, you’ll feel better fast.”
Trusting the advice, Emma took the pills without a doctor’s prescription.
What she didn’t realize was that her sore throat was most likely caused by a virus, which antibiotics cannot treat.
This small choice, repeated by millions worldwide, is adding fuel to one of the greatest health challenges of our time.
Antibiotics are powerful medicines designed to fight infections caused by bacteria like strep throat, pneumonia, or urinary tract infections. But they do nothing against viruses like colds, flu, or COVID-19.
The real danger comes when antibiotics are:
Taken unnecessarily (like for a viral illness).
Stopped too early (not completing the full course).
Shared or reused without a prescription.
Each time this happens, bacteria get a chance to “train” themselves to survive, eventually becoming resistant. This is called antibiotic resistance and it means infections that were once treatable may become life-threatening.
The World Health Organization (2023) calls antibiotic resistance “one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity.” If no action is taken, resistant infections could kill 10 million people every year by 2050 more than cancer.
"Antimicrobial resistance is a global health emergency that will seriously jeopardize progress in modern medicine," says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. "There is an urgent need for more investment in research and development for antibiotic-resistant infections including TB, otherwise we will be forced back to a time when people feared common infections and risked their lives from minor surgery."
In many countries, antibiotics are still sold without prescriptions, and even in developed nations, patients often pressure doctors for them unnecessarily.
The result? “Superbugs” that spread silently across borders.
Antibiotic resistance doesn’t just affect hospitals, it can impact anyone, anywhere.
Short-term risks:
Infections last longer
More severe illness
Increased medical costs
Long-term risks:
Common surgeries (like C-sections or joint replacements) become dangerous
Cancer treatments may fail due to resistant infections
Everyday infections (like UTIs) could become untreatable
A doctor explaining medication to a patient in a clinic.
The good news? Everyone can play a part in slowing resistance.
Here's what you need to do:
Use antibiotics only when prescribed by a certified healthcare professional. Never share or use leftover antibiotics.
Always complete the full course even if you feel better halfway through.
Prevent infections in the first place with good hygiene, vaccinations, and safe food practices.
Antibiotics are one of modern medicine’s greatest achievements but they are not infinite.
Every pill misused today could mean a treatment that won’t work tomorrow.
Talk to your doctor before taking antibiotics.
Share this knowledge with family and friends.
Stay informed because protecting antibiotics protects all of us.
The power of antibiotics lies not just in science, but in how responsibly we use them
References
World Health Organization. (2023). Antimicrobial resistance. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance
World Health Organization. (2017) The world is running out of antibiotics, WHO report confirms https://www.who.int/news/item/20-09-2017-the-world-is-running-out-of-antibiotics-who-report-confirms
Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board