India, Nov. 2 -- A new national survey has found that nearly 30% of adults in the U.S. have lied to doctors to obtain antibiotics. Some patients admitted to exaggerating their symptoms, while others made up symptoms completely.
A separate survey found that about 27% of parents and caregivers had also lied about their children's symptoms to get antibiotic prescriptions.
The first survey included nearly 960 adults from different parts of the U.S. and was conducted in January and February 2026. Participants were asked whether they had ever exaggerated how severe or long-lasting their symptoms were or invented symptoms to persuade doctors to prescribe antibiotics. They were also asked about their reasons for doing so and their views on health...