--- title: Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: 5 Common Myths description: A new multi-country survey reveals misunderstanding of antibiotic resistance is widespread, and many people do not know how to combat it. canonical: https://time.com/4114345/antibiotic-resistance-common-myths/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-16T17:09:21.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:57:09.607Z article:section: Health og:title: 5 Common Myths About Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria og:description: Many people do not understand the dangers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a survey found og:url: https://time.com/4114345/antibiotic-resistance-common-myths/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 5 Common Myths About Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria twitter:description: Many people do not understand the dangers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a survey found twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # 5 Common Myths About Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: Science Cop: How Anti-Vaxxers Put Everyone at Risk [Watch (HLS stream): Science Cop: How Anti-Vaxxers Put Everyone at Risk](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ai82XWJ8.m3u8) (2:06)  _Published 2014-09-24. TIME's Science Cop Jeffrey Kulger takes on the misinformation coming from opponents of childhood vaccinations_ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Nov 16, 2015 5:09 PM UTC by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Nov 16, 2015 5:09 PM UTC A new multi-country survey reveals widespread misunderstanding of antibiotic resistance. A [report](http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/antibiotic-resistance/en/) from the World Health Organization (WHO) released on Monday shows 64% of people surveyed say they know antibiotic resistance is a problem, but they are less aware of how it affects them and what they can do about it. To reach these findings, the WHO surveyed around 10,000 people in 12 different countries: Barbados, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Sudan and Vietnam. They found that misunderstandings of antibiotic resistance were prevalent worldwide. Here are some common misconceptions that showed up in the survey: **Myth 1: You don’t have to take all the antibiotics you’re prescribed.** Among people surveyed, 32% said they thought you should stop taking antibiotics when you feel better, instead of completing the prescribed treatment plan. However the truth is that taking the full dose over the prescribed time frame is what’s recommended. Not doing so means an infection might not be fully treated, and can spur antibiotic resistance in bugs. **Myth 2: Antibiotic resistance means the body no longer responds to drugs.** The WHO reports that 76% of people surveyed said antibiotic resistance is what happens when the body becomes resistant to antibiotics, when in fact it is the bacteria that becomes resistant and spreads illness. **Myth 3: Only people who use antibiotics regularly are at a risk for antibiotic resistance.** Forty-four percent of people thought this was true, but in actuality, as the WHO points out, anyone can get an infection that’s resistant to antibiotics. **Myth 4: Antibiotics can be used to treat colds and flu.** No, you can’t use antibiotics to treat the cold or flu. These are caused by viruses, and antibiotics are used to treat bacteria. Taking antibiotics when you don’t need them can lead to resistance problems. Despite that, 64% of people in the survey thought you could use them for colds or the flu. **Myth 5: There’s nothing you can do to lower your risk.** There are things that both the medical community and patients can do to lower the risk of spreading antibiotic resistant bugs. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says people should take their antibiotics exactly as the doctor prescribes them, should not share or use leftover antibiotics, should not ask for antibiotics if the doctor doesn’t t think they’re necessary and should prevent infection by practicing good hygiene and getting vaccines. “The rise of antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis, and governments now recognize it as one of the greatest challenges for public health today. It is reaching dangerously high levels in all parts of the world,” WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said in a statement. The CDC says about 2 million Americans are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria every year, and 23,000 of these Americans die. In September, U.S. government agencies announced the establishment of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria to focus on the growing public health problem. The first World Antibiotic Awareness Week is Nov. 16-22. ## Transcript So, our recent report claimed that a 2004 study withheld a link between vaccines and autism in African American boys. No surprise, the anti- vaccine crowd considered this a big win. But again and always, they're wrong. Here's why. [ MUSIC ] First, the subjects excluded from the study had no birth certificates available. Meaning data on their mother's age, race and more could not be confirmed. And that information was vital for the work the investigators were doing, More important, the people criticizing the research make the familiar mistake of confusing associated with causation. While it's true that the study did find a slightly higher rate of autism among some kids vaccinated between 24 and 36 months of age, it's almost certain that those children were already autistic and were vaccinated later as part of a basic health requirement for attending special education program [ MUSIC ] programs. If you join the Army and get a mandatory crewcut before basic training, you don't then conclude that military service causes baldness. Finally, the narrator of a disgraceful web video spreading the rumors about the study is Andrew Wakefield. The British researcher whose fraudulent 1998 paper falsely linking vaccines to autism got the entire got the entire anti- vaccine mess started. Wakefield has had his license to practice medicine revoked in the UK. And is hardly in a position to be offering opinions on anything at all. So for the billionth time, vaccines are safe, effective and vitally important. Rumor mongering, on the other hand, can kill. 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