‘Completing the antibiotics course’ might just be a myth

Whenever we are prescribed antibiotics, we are told to complete the course even if we feel better in order to kill every bacterium and prevent it from becoming drug-resistant. However, recent studies show that this might just be a myth.

Scientists have questioned the theory of completing antibiotics’ course saying that there is no evidence for this theory and it could just worsen the resistance. The researchers stated in British Medical Journal that people should rather stop taking medicines as soon as they feel better.

The lead author Dr. Martin Llewelyn said, “'Complete the course' is taught very widely, but it's been known to be wrong for quite a while.”

He added, “The idea that stopping antibiotic treatment early encourages antibiotic resistance is not supported by evidence while taking antibiotics for longer than necessary increases the risk of resistance.”

Oxford professor Tim Peto told Independent, “This is slow-motion fake news. It went through word of mouth, before the internet. Yes, it’s an urban myth.”

The team advised that the patients should stop the treatment as soon as they feel better or they can request the doctor for a shorter course instead of a long one. The patients are also advised to go for follow-up appointments to ask if they can discontinue the medications.

In their paper, they urged policymakers, educators and doctors to restrain from promoting ‘complete the course’ while they talk on public platforms. Dr. Allison McGeer explained, “If your doctor prescribes you something it’s absolutely okay to say are you sure I need this long? Can I have a shorter course? Or to say if I am getting better on the fifth day, can I stop taking them?”

However, Peto made it clear that the team does not mean that patients should rather stop taking their medicines and take matter in their own hands. He clarified that the patients should always follow the doctor’s advice, reported Global News.

Contrasting from the old idea of completing the antibiotics’ course, the scientists believe that shorter prescriptions ranging from three to five days would be enough to fight majority of the bacteria. If the course continues for long, it might prove to be a helping hand for the bugs for greater resistance.

However, critics vary from this new theory. Whiling talking to BBC, Dr. Helen Stokes-Lampard said, “We are concerned about the concept of patients stopping taking their medication mid-way through a course once they ‘feel better’ because improvement in symptoms does not necessarily mean the infection has been completely eradicated.”