India, March 11 -- The over-the-counter drugs that we easily consume for common ailments without thinking twice might be doing us more harm than good. Drugs like Azithromycin, used for sore throat and cold, can increase the risk of irritable bowel syndrome, destroy beneficial gut bacteria, and contribute to global antibiotic resistance.

In a video shared on March 9 by Dr Shubham Vatsya, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist with over 10 years of experience at Fortis Vasant Kunj, Delhi, cautioned against the common mistake of using azithromycin to treat a sore throat, as most respiratory infections are caused by viruses.

According to Dr Shubham Vatsya, Azithromycin has quietly become the go-to pill for every sore throat and cold. The gas...