India, Sept. 30 -- Antibiotics can be life-saving medicines when they are prescribed for the right bacterial infection, at the right dose and for the appropriate duration. However, taking antibiotics without medical advice can be harmful to both the individual and the wider community, according to internal medicine expert Dr Pallav Mishra.

He shared with HT Lifestyle the risks involved in taking antibiotics without a prescription, and how to use them safely.

As per Dr Mishra, one of the biggest concerns with people self-medicating with antibiotics is that many common illnesses, such as colds, flu and most viral sore throats, are caused by viruses, against which antibiotics do not work.

"When a person takes an antibiotic unnecessarily, ...