Why Antibiotics Cannot Treat Every Condition?

Written By: Rachel Levin and Eshrat Quader

Have you ever been looking through your medicine cabinet and seen an unfinished bottle of Amoxicillin, or a Z-pak? Or been to the doctor’s and left frustrated that you didn’t get prescribed antibiotics, and were told to take over the counter medicine? 

Antibiotics are medications that treat bacterial infections, and have revolutionized healthcare in the last century. With the discovery of Penicillin in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, we are now able to treat conditions including urinary tract, sexually transmitted, skin, ear, nose, and throat infections (Cleveland Clinic, “Penicillin”). Antibiotics began being mass produced in the 1940s, and reached their “Golden Age” throughout the mid 1900s, with discoveries of major classes of antibiotics including tetracyclines, erythromycin, and cephalosporins, which are able to treat a range of infections from strep throat to Lyme disease (Clardy et al., 2010). 

Antibiotics work by killing off bacteria or preventing them from multiplying. This form of medication is useful for more moderate to severe bacterial infections, rather than viral or mild bacterial infections that may go away on its own (Cleveland Clinic, “Antibiotics”). But how do we know when we are supposed to be taking them; oftentimes you cannot immediately determine if an infection or series of symptoms is viral or bacterial, and symptom presentation varies from person to person depending on a myriad of factors including individual health (Cleveland Clinic, “Antibiotics”). 

Additionally, how do we know if they are really needed, but a provider prescribes them anyway. In 2017, a study  analyzing private health insurance claims data found that there were close to $69 million in excess healthcare costs from inappropriate antibiotic prescribing among adults diagnosed with common outpatient upper respiration infections in the US (Pew).  

Misuse and overuse of antibiotics is a major public health concern, as it is contributing to antibiotic resistance (FDA). This occurs when bacteria itself develops defenses against antibiotics through mutations, making it more difficult or even impossible to treat an infection. Specifically, the most ‘fit’ bacteria survive against antibiotics, and then the fittest continue to reproduce generation to generation. With antibiotic resistant bacteria, fewer antibiotics become actually effective against their condition, and treatment options may eventually be nonexistent. If antibiotics are ineffective, results range from longer, more complex illnesses to deaths from bacterial infection (FDA). In the US, over 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur yearly, with over 35,000 people dying as a result (CDC).

Proper antibiotic use is vital. You must take your antibiotics exactly as prescribed, including the number of times per day, the duration of treatment, and whether or not to take them with food (Cleveland Clinic, “Antibiotic”). Never save antibiotics for a later time, as you should only use antibiotics to treat the specific infection received for. On a similar note, do not take medication  a provider prescribed for somebody else, as the prescriptions are tailored to the individual’s needs and conditions. Furthermore, maintain general healthy habits, like preparing food safely by cleaning hands, advocate for self with healthcare providers, and get vaccinated to prevent infection (Cleveland Clinic, “Antibiotic”). 

References:

“About Antimicrobial Resistance.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31 Jan. 2025, www.cdc.gov/antimicrobial-resistance/about/index.html.

Clardy, Jon, et al. “The Natural History of Antibiotics.” Current Biology : CB, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 9 June 2009, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2731226/.

Cleveland Clinic. “Antibiotics: When You Need Them and What to Expect.” Cleveland Clinic, 7 July 2026, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/16386-antibiotics.

Cleveland Clinic. “Penicillin?” Cleveland Clinic, 7 July 2026, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/penicillin.

“Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing for Adults Comes with Increased Risks.” The Pew Charitable Trusts, 27 Jan. 2023, www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/fact-sheets/2023/01/inappropriate-antibiotic-prescribing-for-adults-comes-with-increased-risks.

“Safely Use Antibiotics to Get Well and Combat Antimicrobial Resistance.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, 18 Nov. 2024, www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/know-when-and-how-use-antibiotics-and-when-skip-them.