To finish antibiotics or not to finish? That is the question

Thursday, July 27, 2017
Rethinking finishing antibiotics
Rethinking finishing antibiotics. Ali Gorman reports during Action News at 5 p.m. on July 27, 2017.

As a nurse, I've always told people you have to finish the full course that's prescribed.

The thinking is that if you don't, bacteria could be left behind and become resistant to the medicine or the infection could come back and get worse.

But now, some experts say there's not a lot of evidence to back that up.

Some say, stopping the antibiotics earlier could help to prevent antibiotic-resistance and super-bugs.

But, there are studies that show for some infections, such as an ear infection, not finishing the full course could lead to a more severe infection down the line.

So for now, the current advice still stands to finish the full course.

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