— OPINION —

By Allie Molinaro

If you aren’t already concerned about antibiotic resistance, it’s time to take notice. The UN recently issued a grave warning, declaring  antimicrobial resistance (AMR) one of the most urgent global health threats. Known as the “silent pandemic,” antibiotic resistance claimed 4.7 million lives in 2021 alone. If left unchecked, that number could soar to 10 million per year by 2050—more than twice the global COVID-19 deaths in 2020. The projected AMR healthcare costs could surpass $1 trillion annually and up to $3.4 trillion in GDP losses.

Many people assume that the primary cause of antibiotic resistance is human misuse. The quickest way to make a doctor or nurse’s blood pressure skyrocket is by telling them you didn’t finish your round of antibiotics. “You can’t do that!” they’ll exclaim, “That’s how you create SUPERBUGS!” They are right, of course, as exposing bacteria to antibiotics without killing all of them can cause the survivors to become resistant to the drugs. 

But your decision to stop your 14-day prescription after 11 days is probably less apocalyptic than your doctor makes it out to be. While I don’t condone stopping antibiotics premature...